Fenrir's Howl
by Flame Falcon
Summary: Four new arrivals have come to join the Smash Roster, many of them figures of legend by their own rights. As if the arrivals were not enough to shake things up, when the Hands leave, strange things happen. Soon creatures of myth and saga rise to reality. Sometimes, looks can be deceiving and it can only be discovered once it is to late. For now, the howl of the End Wolf has sounded
1. The Newcomers

**Well, here we go, another fanfiction out for Super Smash Brothers. This story started as a collaboration idea between me and Purple Mercenary. She will be helping me with some of these chapters.**

**Now, you may notice several other games that are in here as well as other genres. Why isn't this in the cross over section? Well, when you look at it Super Smash Bros. is in a sense a crossover all in its own so that is why it's here. Well, without further explanations, let the story begin.**

* * *

The loud clamor of the Smash Mansion was duly deserved. It was a rare event, one that happened only in a few years. Each and every smasher made their way to the stage, where battles were to usually be fought, but in its steed was something else.

The event, you may ask; the arrival of new members to the Smash Roster. It had ben many years, five to be exact since there was some new additions to the roster. Many of them fitted in well with the veterans, some more than others. Others still could be seen as new guys, like the smell of a new car. However, they were all experienced brawlers, none could dispute that fact. The smashers made their way to the great arena, many of them discussing who these new additions were to be. They were told that they were unusual characters, but then again, the smashers were no ordinary bunch.

Ike made his own way by himself, taking a lesser known route. He was one of the newest editions to the roster five years ago. The mercenary leader still kept to himself a lot of the time, pondering many things. He had a few friends, though he got along with many of the smashers. He hoped with these newest editions of smashers, he hoped he could find those who were like him and offer a helping hand to them. He carried Ragnell with him, as he did whenever he was out of combat. It was not that he didn't feel unsafe here, rather it was out of habit. His father always taught him to keep one weapon in reach wherever you went. More than once, Ike would have left to join his father's side if he didn't heed his teachings.

He continued down the hallway before he ran into one of those he could consider one of his trusted allies. It was the Princess Zelda, an ever graceful embodiment of beauty. Ike's heart stopped when he saw her. She was dressed in red silk, with verity shades of color. She smiled when he walked next to him, her footsteps falling perfectly into sync with him. Ike smiled and she returned one of her own, beaming all h while. "So Ike, are you excited to see the newest editions to our family?" Ike let off a small smile at the sides of his lips. Zelda had always viewed the smashers as a family, even Ganondorf. She even offered to be Lucas' "mother" on Christmas and so it has been ever since. That was one of the features about her that Ike held high about her.

"You mean those who going to spice up the life of the matches, don't you, Princess?" Spoke up a new voice, one belonging to a blond haired swordsman. Link gave Ike a brotherly slug on the shoulder, which Ike returned with a bit more force behind it. Zelda laughed and nodded with Link's enthusiasm. The young Hylian was one of the most popular of the Smashers, always at ease and quick to make friends. Few could have a grudge against him, and even fewer could hold it against him. Link wrapped an arm around both of them as he walked in the middle of the group. Ike chuckled under his breath as they reached two open massive doors made of massive silver.

They took their seats and looked at a dimmed stage. The two hands, Crazy and Master stood side by side. The saner one of the two stood where he was, while the one that should be in a mental institution jerked around in the air, causing the calmer one to sigh. When all the smashers reached their seats, Master Hand began his speech. "Welcome. I am sure that you will need no introduction on why you are here, but these people who I and my… unstable brother will introduce are those who passed our rigorous trials and are worthy to call themselves Brawlers. So without further a due, it is my privilege to introduce them. We will start the introductions with my brother giving you the first newest edition."

Crazy Hand screeched to a halt and nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, that indeed. Now our first combatant hails from a land far away, where the winters are cold and the mead is colder. He led a rebellion against an empire that was too weak to pay its debts to his people. Under the banners of rebellion and with the side of a figure of myth and legend, they defeated the Empire and their lands are now a proud home for his people, the Nords and any who wish to live free from the Thalmor oppression. The High King of Skyrim joins us. The one and only… Ulfric Stormcloak!" A light shined down on the warrior king. Ike was reminded a lot of his father when he gazed upon this man. Long blond hair ran behind his head and a trimmed beard, yet rough in its essence. He wore a thick black wolf pelt on his back, and thick cloth covered the rest of his frame. On his side he carried a finely crafted steel battle axe, Nordic runes encompassing the hilt and the head.

He had pricing blue eyes and he glared into the crowd and drew his axe and hefted it above his head. The smash roster applauded, Ike felt as if he was going to get along with this one. Brandishing his axe, Ulfric bellowed a deep word and a blast of kinetic energy shout out of his mouth. The explosion caused the applause to intensify. Many of the smashers whispered around, Ike could pick up several of their conversations. Marth talked to Snake about how this one would be a challenge, and then Captain Falcon butted in saying that he doesn't look that tough. Zelda and Link spoke about the interesting character, Zelda was interested in the land called Skyrim and Link was wondering about whom the Thalmor were.

The Master hand bobbed up and down nodding in agreement. The spotlight faded away and the Master Hand began to speak. "Now, hailing from the gang-torn streets of Seattle we are graced with the presence of a shadowrunner. One who fights the corporations, the lawless and those whom cross him, a man of honor in a den of thieves. He is a Street Samurai by trade, but possesses knowledge in the arcane and spirit realms. It is my pleasure to introduce to the roster… Tobey Duel-fists!" A tall, for lack of a better term, elf stepped unto the stage. He wore a large black duster, many weapons hidden beneath it, the butts of too many guns were evident. Tobey had medium length blood hair with shades on his eyes and a few tattoos on his neck, which appeared to be tribal of some sort or another.

Applause followed as Tobey waved to the crowd, bowing ever gracefully. Crazy spoke again, though not after doing three barrel rolls in the air and gestured to the next combatant. "From the cold north of unknown regions, a might Viking claims that he has the greatest fighters of the ages. He fights with a battle axe as large as a normal man, and blood boils under his veins. He fights for his friends, honor, and the gods. Please give a warm welcome for the warrior known as Leman Anvilfist!" A monster of a man, built across his chest and tall as Ike stepped forward into the light. The size of the battle axe was not a lie, it was large, and the twin heads showed that it was designed for massive carnage. He was clad in weathered leathers, steel belts and buckles holding it together. His hair was braided a as was his beard and his eyes looked like two chips of ice forever frozen in time. He swung his axe around in a large circle, bellowing a cry for war and battle.

After his duly received applause, he stepped back and the Master hand cleared his throat. "And now, out final new combatant. She is a mysterious creature, who is unknown even to the most knowledgeable of scholars. Her tribe is unknown but her skills in battle are not. So, it is my honor to give you Lithia!" A young woman stepped forward into the light and was met with a loud amount of wolf whistles. She was small, but she carried a massive claymore on her shoulder, covered with her long flowing auburn hair. He had green eyes and a small shy smile on her lips. Many of the male smashers were whistling at the sight of a beautiful woman, though there were a few who abstained from it. Marth looked as if he wanted to but was engaged in a choke hold by Peach. Snake also was about to but stopped, Samus' beam pistol pointed at his head. Ike kept quiet and looked over to the others.

The hands stepped to the center and nodded. "There has been a feast of honor prepared for the new arrivals and you are to go there to greet them and get to know them. The brawls will continue, but we have an announcement of our own. We have some business to take care of shortly, so we will be gone for a few weeks in a bit. Nothing to worry, we trust you can handle yourselves and act like civilized beings." Master hand spoke.

As if he was the other foot, Crazy spoke. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen to this place?" Death glares soon shot at him and he exhaled quickly. "Boy the crowd got tough in here all of a sudden."

The smasher rose and slowly made their way to the great hall, where the new comers were to be awaiting them. Link ran on ahead, wanting to catch up with the others, leaving Ike and Zelda to walk by them. He found it slightly unhinging to talk to Zelda alone, he was unsure if it was the position that she held that made him nervous or the fact he was just shy to her. "So… what do you think of the new comers, your Majesty?" He asked after clearing his throat.

She ticked he tongue once and playfully shook her head. "Ike, how many times have I told you? You still call me by my title that I hold no power here. You will refer to me as Zelda, not Your Highness, Majesty or Princess. Please, this is why I came here, or at least one of the reasons, to be given a chance to be like every one." She locked her arm around his and the two walked together following the rest of the crowd. "However, to answer your question I think it is a unique group of individuals. Ulfric seems like someone who you could get along with rather well. Tobey seems like a character that would take me many days to fully under stand. Leman is another brawler who came her for the thirst of glory I feel." She clicked her tongue in annoyance at the thought. "And for Lithia, well…" She didn't finish that train of thought.

"Why Zelda, is that jealousy that I see in your eyes?" Ike said in a friendly banter. Zelda shot him a look that Sheik ever could do so. But it did speak that she was jealous for some reason. For what reason, Ike didn't know.

They reached the great hall and many of the smashers were divided into groups some conversing amongst themselves, others talking with the newcomers. Introducing themselves seemed like the best idea so Ike and Zelda headed off in spate directions. They needed to introduce themselves to these new and cunning individuals who managed to reach the ranks of the Smashers.

* * *

Ulfric Stormcloak pulled the cork from another bottle of mead sighing all the while. He heard of the Smashers and he chose to leave his beloved Skyrim for this. He knew he left it in capable hands, a shared between the Dragonborn and Galmar. Still, it was unhinging to leave his newly founding untied Skyrim. As High King, he achieved what he had set out to do; place a true Nord on the throne. While others saw him as a power hungry despot, others saw him as a hero of old reborn to the flesh of the new age. He smiled at the later, the Dragonborn deserved that title not him.

He did manage to get a good look at the rest of the smashers, and he tried to figure out the best term to describe them. He couldn't find one. There were some who have seen maybe seven winters at most while others were creatures he had never seen before. Some dressed in simple clothes, others in lavish silks and cottons. Some came from the bosom of royalty while others made their way from the battlefields. He sincerely hoped there were more of the later then former. He then gazed up from his thoughts and saw two figures walking towards him. Both were tall swordsmen though they were different in many more ways. One was an elf of some sorts, not a Thalmor at least. The other one was one with deep blue hair, a very unusual for a normal human normal. But then again, many would have considered him to be unusual.

Ulfric decided that he had best to be the more humble one and rose from his seat. He placed his hand over his heart and offered a bow. The other two retuned it, both very gracefully. "It is an honor to se the High King of Skyrim." The blue haired warrior said in a deep voice, and the elf nodded. "I am Ike Greil, Commander of the Greil Mercenaries." Ulfric gestured for them to sit and the three sat down and reached over for the bottles of mead.

"I'm Link, Hero of Time in Hyrule." The elf said. Ulfric regarded the two warriors. Both looked as if they did indeed belong here. They could handle themselves with a sword and chose to remain as warriors of such. He was given a brief history of each of the smashers by request of the Master Hand. Both of these two could be rulers of their own kingdoms by their own rights and mettle for war. But it would appear that they were too humble to take command and lead. Ulfric said he had to respect that, not everyone was ambitious to lead, there were those who wanted nothing more then to follow the banner of right and just.

"I am honored." Ulfric said in his baritone voice, like two boulders slamming into each other. "It pains me much to leave my home of Skyrim, but I left it in capable hands. I know full well whom you are and of your many of your tales. Though I have to wonder, how would an elf manage to hold his mead? I always thought you would prefer drinking milk." It was in good humor and Link could see it. He laughed at Ulfric's jest. Using one of his knives, Link sliced the top of the cork off and threw his head back, downing some of the honeyed brew without complaint. Ike pulled his cork out and tried the Nordic Mead. It took him off guard with the mixture of bitterness and sweetness, but it was drinkable

A few moments passed and Link left the two, more than likely to find some of the other new comers. Ulfric sighed, "I have heard about you Ike. My question to you is why are you not a ruler of your own nation? You have the wisdom to guide it and the sword arm to defend it from the front if need be."

Ike Laughed dryly, "Ulfric, the arts of state craft are far beyond me. I would have that be to those who have the aptitude for such a talent to handle the affairs of politics. My place is on the battlefield, making history and defending the nation I owe so much to. Though now it is my turn to ask a question for you. How did you become High King, from the way it sounds like you murdered to be it." Ike felt a sour taste form in his mouth as he thought about it. He had seen many corrupt kinds Ashnard who killed and assassinated to gain the throne of power.

"Ulfric shot Ike a very sinister look and frowned. "I challenged the High King in the traditional way. There was no 'murder' committed. I fought him because he was not a true Nord, a puppet king for the Empire addicted to the Imperial coin that care more about entertaining his queen rather than attending to the suffering of his own people. Though," A smile tugged at the edge of his lips. "he couldn't stand against me. My sword pierced his heart in front of many witnesses who knew of the tradition, but without their puppet, the Empire and the Thalmor I was branded a traitor."

Ike nodded and took another swig of his mead. "You led a rebellion against the weak Empire that couldn't bleed for those that have bled for them."

Ulfric nodded and raised his bottle, and Ike clasped them together. "You are someone I could get along with. But the day warriors could gain common ground by words alone, is a day I would never wish to see." Ike laughed along with him.

* * *

Tobey Duel-Fist lit another one of his cigarettes with a snap of his fingers, a small flame flickering on the tips of his fingers. He looked around him as he inhaled the smoke. The smashers were… interesting to say the least. He had been here for only a wile and he had already butted heads with a princess… Peach if he recalled correctly. She asked if he would put out his smoke, one of the few things he looked forward to each day. He promptly blow smoke right into his face. He did have a code of honor, and he promptly apologized for it, though, it was difficult to make her accept the apology.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned around. He didn't see anyone and then he felt it again. He realized it wasn't a tap on his shoulder rather it was that someone was tugging on his duster. He looked down and saw a small kid in a striped tee shirt, blond hair and a shy expression across his face. Tobey bet down on one of his knees and ruffled the kid's hair. "Hey there, chummer. Sorry that I didn't see you there. What's your name?"

The kid smiled slightly. "Lu..Lucas." He shuddered out of shyness. Tobey smiled slightly. In retrospect, he saw a mirror version of himself before he goblinized during puberty. Shy, bashful and afraid of anything taller than he was. Tobey sat down on one of the benches and patted the seat next to him. The kid lit up and jumped up on the seat there. Tobey placed his arm around him in a brotherly gesture. He didn't speak, neither of them did. No words were needed.

Tobey's mind drifted to the conversations he had with his girlfriend, Cherry Bomb. He didn't know if that was her given name or a nickname by the runners of the Seamstress Union, a high class bar on the streets of outside Seattle. She had cherry red hair, dressed in a long red dress and was a bombshell. He knew her when he started working in Seattle, in which a job to find the murderer of an old friend became so much more. The two talked and soon she started sharing moments with him when he wasn't running with the shadows. His new friend, Gallowsglass, hooked them both up on a blind date to each other and the two hit it off from there.

She was an elf like he was, though slightly younger by seven years. The difference of age was trivial when you are an elf, he mused himself. She was a motherly figure, even when she was running the bar for Miss Fredrick. She loved him for the code of honor he had, though she was a bit at odds with his occupation. Not the fact that it was a criminal operation, the survival rate of the jobs was what set her at edge. When he was leaving to come here, she said that while he was there, he should make a difference, and one that shouldn't require bullets. He was thinking about popping her the question, but he decided it would be best when he came back.

Shadowrunning was a good job. Challenging work, allows you to see new places, and you can't go hungry in that line of work. As long as there are three people left on the face of the earth, one is going to hire someone to do something to the other. Tobey chuckled at the euphemism. Lucas looked to Tobey and felt safe under his arm, just as he felt in Zelda's embrace when she said she would be his adoptive mother of sorts.

Tobey looked to the other two smashers that came with him. Leman was talking with a few others, and Lithia was talking with the entre female cast of the smashers. She did point a massive two handed sword at the men who were about to make a sly comment. He laughed and ruffled Lucas' hair again.

He felt a pang of energy hit the side of his head, causing his spare hand to massage the temple. "What happened?" Lucas asked him.

Tobey shook his head. "Nothing. It was nothing." He said and when Lucas looked away, Tobey muttered "I hope it was." Under his breath. He sincerely hoped that it was indeed. But he pushed the thoughts from his mind, tomorrow the four new members were to fight each other to prove their skills.

What exactly caused that pain would have to wait.


	2. The First Fight

Ike woke with a slight pounding in his head, more than likely it as the many bottles of mead that he shared with Ulfric that gave him it. He looked at the window and the sun had just risen over the horizon, signifying it was about seven in the morning. The Hands had arranged an early morning brawl between the newcomers, and Ike wanted to get one of the best seats in the area so he could se exactly whom these new opponents were. It had been many years since there was new blood in the area, and he was eager to see what skills the new comers brought with them

He crawled out of his bed and threw on his traditional get-up and tied Ragnell off on his back. He glanced out the window and saw the newcomer elf, Tobey if he recalled correctly. The elf was dressed in the same clothes from last night and appeared to be in a meditative state. His hand was in a pile of earth and the other in a bowl of water. Ike had seen many different forms of magic, though this seemed to be the most unusual of them all. Shamanism was the proper term, the belief that spirits existed in everything, the land, and the air, even the water.

Ike felt a small smile tug on the side of his face and he left the room and walked down the hallway, his feet being careful that he wasn't too loud in fear of waking the other smashers. Ike heard other footsteps and looked to see Ulfric walking out of his own dorm. "Ike, I would say good morning, but I have a feeling the mead may have made it less then pleasant for you." Ike smiled, knowing that it was true and massaged his temple. "You can hold your drink, and for that you have my respect. Few could challenge a Nord against his own mead and put up for quite a while with it."

Ike nodded and the two walked down the hall, both keeping their voices low. "So are you ready for your first brawl? This is quite unusual than any other fights you may have gotten in to." Ulfric nodded his head, stating that he would be ready even if Talos himself would fight him. The two walked to the main hall, in which few of the other smashers were eating their breakfast. The other two newcomers were there, Lithia was chatting with Peach on a subject that seemed to interest both of them and Leman crossed his arms and looked at the two who came closer to him.

He gestured for them to sit. It was apparent that Ulfric and Leman were already introduced, Ike however offered his hand. Lean only slammed his right fist over his heart and Ike properly returned the gesture. "Ike Griel, it is my honor to meet you." Ike raised an eyebrow, and Leman explained as the two sat down. "I learned about you from several of the other smashers and I must say, " He paused to take a bite out of his venison, neglecting to use his utensils. Taking his slice of roast with his bare hands and tearing off a portion with his teeth. The other smasher not next to them tisked with annoyance. He swallowed the meat and continued. "It is my pleasure and honor to be along with you in the brawls."

Ike nodded and crossed his own arms against his chest. Ulfric nodded as well and began to run a sharpening stone across the edge of the axe in a quiet like manner. Leman downed the last of his tankard of brew with a single gulp, throwing his head back all the while. The sound of two graceful footsteps approached form behind and the three turned to see Zelda. She was dressed in her usual white and purple silken dress. She hadn't met with Ulfric, so Ulfric rose from his seat and placed an open hand over his heart and gave a slight bow. Zelda smiled warmly and curtsied before him. "High King Ulfric Stormcloak, I bid you welcome in the name of the holy Three. I am-"

"Princess Zelda of Hyrule and wieldier of the Triforce of Wisdom, yes?" Ulfric interrupted, though if Zelda showed any distaste for the act, she neglected to show it. "Ike has told me so much about you. Perhaps more then what you could tell about yourself." He smiled slyly and Ike's cheeks turned slightly red with embarrassment. He should have seen it coming; Ulfric must have used the mead to loosen his tongue. Just how much did he tell him…? WHAT did he tell him was another question that burned on his mind. Ulfric continued and Ike prepared himself for the worst. "He told me that you are a kind and brave young lass, as well as a quite accomplished mage. And please, call me Ulfric Stormcloak or any one of those two. I am not in Skyrim, so the titles are not needed Princess." He took one of Zelda's hands and in a respectful gesture, kissed it for a moment.

Zelda spoke and Ike released that breath he was holding. "Did he now?" Her eyebrow rose slightly, intrigued. "Thank you Hig- Ulfric." She caught herself from making that mistake. "And likewise, call me Zelda. I am far away from my home so the title is no longer needed." Ulfric nodded and sat down in his chair once again, tearing off a portion of sourdough bread. Ike was about to do the same before Zelda gestured for him to follow her. Ike nodded once, swallowing hard.

The two walked together for a while, heading out doors and into the cool summer morning. Evenually, after a few moments of silence, Zelda sighed and turned to Ike. "Ike… I have a question for you?"

He looked back at her and nodded, "Ask away."

She bit her bottom lip and tried to figure out how it was best to ask the question. "So what do you think of our new arrivals?" Ike could tell it wasn't the question she wanted to ask, but he decided to tell her what she wanted to hear. He would play along with her little game. He said that they were an interesting lot. Ulfric was a great man, Tobey could handle himself in any situation, Leman was a capable warrior, and he told her that he had not met Lithia personally so he could not draw a conclusion for her. She nodded but it was clear that something else was on her mind and she wasn't telling him it.

Ike asked her, "Zelda what did you want to say to me? Honestly, you could have asked me about the newcomers in their presence. There is something else on your mind, I can tell." Zelda stopped walking and shook her head sighing.

"Ike, it's just… do you ever have moments of jealousy and hatred about someone because they may very well try to get what you wanted?"

Ike didn't know where this was going to be heading so he answered. "From time to time, Zelda. What is it?"

Again, she sighed and sat down on one of the granite benches. "That newcomer, Lithia, I managed to talk to her last night. She is a fine woman, able to take care of herself in any battle and seems to be rather reasonable. But, I have a feeling that she is after someon- something I want." She stopped herself from saying someone, but Ike could tell what the word was. So he was right after all, there was a pang of the green monster in her eyes last night.

Ike sat down next to her, and she scooted closer to him. "So tell me princess, "He said in a joshing tone, which she thankfully could decipher as such, "whom are you afraid of losing?" Zelda took a long time in thinking, mumbling to herself all the while.

She then shook her head. "No one Ike, just forget I said anything." Ike could tell that there was something going on with her and was about ready to ask her as such.

Unfortunately, they were interrupted by Peach, who came over to them. "What are you guys doing out here?! The brawl is about ready to start. Come on!" She yelled at them. Ike gave Zelda a look that said we will talk about this later. The two then picked up following the plucky little princess form the mushroom kingdom. They made their way through the doors and up the stairs to the arena. The massive maze of corridors was mindboggling of first, Devine only know how many times it confused the smashers when they first arrived here.

The smashers took their seats in the front rows, while the stage was set before them. It was to be set at the Final Destination, three stock battles and a team battle- two against two. There was to be Ulfric and Tobey on one side, then Leman and Lithia on the other side. The Smashers took their seats Ike near the staircase and Zelda sat right there on the right side of him. Ike sighed and shook his head.

"Three!" The sound of the Master hand echoed through the arena. A gust of cold wind echoed through the stage and soon the form of Ulfric appeared from the cold winds of change. Scant moments later a shadowy figure appeared right next to him, and the smoke dissipated, revealing Tobey Duel Fist.

"Two!" Fog appeared on the opposite side and out stepped Leman, slamming his battle axe against his chest, while Lithia descended on a pair of spectral wings.

"One! GO!" The entirety of the crowd began to cheer as the brawl began. Tobey began by playing to his strengths and opened up firing his sidearm, a Predator hand cannon. The bullets were striking home but soon Lithia began to throw some axes at them. Tobey swore loudly and ducked, slamming a fresh clip home. Ulfric charged with his own war axe, slamming directly into Leman. Losing his footing, Leman swung wildly, in hopes of striking Ulfric somewhere. His blows only hit air but he swung his axe around, catching the High king and Leman pulled himself up from his back.

Tobey rushed over to Ulfric's side and pulled him back, firing Mage Blast spells from his spare hand. Ulfric gritted his teeth and leapt back up to his feet. "My thanks Duel-Fist."

" We need are evenly matched, they have ranged support and a pure mêlée devoted vanguard. Any suggestions?" Ulfric pondered for a moment while Tobey started firing of a few more rounds off at Lithia, who blocked those with her shield.

"Fight until there is no more fighting to be done." Tobey smiled and then drew a long curved blade he charged the two warriors and slammed his sword against Lithia. Lithia countered with her own short sword and buckler combination. Ulfric laughed and struck out at Leman again and again. Each warrior was never going to back down, not one inch was going to be given to the other. It was a perfect battle choreographed to the rhythm of steel against steel. Tobey felt alive on the fields of battle, and Ulfric looked as if he could agree as well. Fight until there was none left… words to live by on the street.

The crowd watched as the newcomers spilt their opponent's blood for they enjoyment. Ike said that without a doubt that he was surprised the skills these smashers had. While Tobey was the jack of all trades, who could hold his own in melee and range, Ulfric was a monster in hand to hand, occasionally using the word of power to send the opponents tumbling off the edge. Leman could easily be one of the most powerful in hand to hand, that large two handed axe easily granting him a powerful reach. Now, Lithia was a tank, dealing the harsh beatings but could shrug off so many with her armor and shield tactics. Ulfric and Tobey worked through a well coordinated attack patterns that suited their strengths; the others moved with a such connection that bordered lined the super natural.

No items were to be spawned, it was a pure no holds brawl. Each began to drop like flies, and soon each were down to one stock. Marth, who was sitting be hind him, spoke up. "They seem like capable fighters, though I would have to disagree that giving Tobey the ability to heal his wound would seem a little unfair in his favor."

Mario, arguably the most experienced one of the brawlers, answered Marth. "Not so." The Italian plumber spoke up. "While he may have the ability to heal, it is only his most recent wounds that he takes off. If he was to repetitively use that, he would damage himself because that is how the magic works in his realm. While it may be able to shrug off Super Smash ability if he was lucky enough, anything before that would be permeate to him. It evens out." Seeing wisdom in the Hero of the Mushroom kingdoms words, Marth nodded and looked back to the fighting.

Tobey slammed the sword against the neck of Leman, causing the warrior to howl in pain. Ulfric shouted once again and sent a critically injured Lithia tumbling off the edge, taking away her final life and eliminating her from the fight. However, he and Tobey were in no better condition, neither was Leman, each one had the possibility of flying of edge and into elimination. Leman swung his axe around and bashed Tobey across the ace, sending him sprawling. Ulfric growled in anger and slammed his own axe into the shoulder of Leman.

Leman took the blow and used the chance to throttle Ulfric. The High King was slammed down unto the metal beneath them. Ulfric grunted loudly in pain, but he didn't yield, no matter how many times he was piled driven into the plane beneath him. Lifted high above Lemans head, Ulfric's back was brought down on the knee, shattering the spine. Leman tossed Ulfric from the stage, ending the threat to him. He turned to see Tobey still on the ground crawling towards his shotgun. Leman was confused for a moment, wondering why the elf wasn't running to retrieve his weapon. He clearly saw why. Behind him, dragging behind him was his twisted, bloody and not to mention useless leg. The shotgun's chamber was closed, signifying that there was one shell loaded in the chamber.

Leman kicked the shotgun off the stage and the crowd held his breath as they watched Leman walked over to Tobey and picked him off the ground by his throat. "This is the end for you Tobey Duel-Fist. Game over." Tobey began to laugh causing Leman to wonder what going on. The sudden blast of a sawed off smg was the answer to his question. The hail of hot lead slammed into his chest, causing a loud gasp exit the mouth of the crowd. Leman let go of Tobey, who finished off Leman by emptying the last of his magazine.

The smashers applauded as the match ended. The surviving combatant teleported off the stage while the smashers rose from their seats, talking about the match with each other and the combatants with great eagerness. Ike moved away from the crowd and walked around to the gym. He needed to let some steam he had built up over the princess who wouldn't be straight with him. After all of his day so far, he needed to let off something.

A few hours later, Ike slammed his last fist into the punching bag. Sweat was dripping brow , and he was exhaling loudly. He was the only one in the gym and he felt much better. He was still miffed at Zelda for not giving am an answer. Was it trivial for him to get riled up about it? Perhaps it was, but he never did like being blown aside so easily, regardless whom it was.

He heard a pair of gentle footsteps come up behind him. He turned halfway expecting Zelda with an apology, in its steed, he saw Lithia. The short- though not by much- female warrior stood next to him with a shy smile on her lips. "Ike, is this a good time?" She asked, the northern accent falling from her lips and flowing into the words. He sighed and nodded, thus she continued. "Well, I heard that you are one of the best swordsmen, and seeing that you have a large claymore," She gestured twords Ragnell, "I was wondering f you could spar with me?"

Ike pondered this for a moment, considering her request. Eventually he nodded and unsheathed his blade and spun around to Lithia, who already had her own sword drawn and in an offensive posture. Ike readied his own blade and waited for her to strike at him. In all truths, he didn't have to wait long and she flung herself at him and he easily countered it and bashed her off her feet with the flat side of the Ragnell. He quickly climbed up and tried again, again he easily countered. "Why do you fight with a two handed blade as if it was a one handed weapon?" He asked as he placed a boot on her chest, pinning her to the ground.

"Because I need to show that I can prove that I am not a high princess who relies off foul sorceries to achieve my goals. I settle it with steel and iron, not tomes of knowledge and words of wisdom." She spat and pushed Ike's foot off her. "I need to do it to prove myself that I am not a fragile woman, rather which I am a warrior to be reckoned with. I will get respect from many…" Her voice trailed off, as if recalling bad memories.

Ike shook his head, considering himself to be the biggest fool. "If you want me to teach you, just ask me and I will do so, but you need to do as I say, nothing else. Are we clear on that?" She nodded and he did so back. All the while, they were being watched by two individuals, one was a brunette princess with a snarl on her face the other was a small serpent.

* * *

"So, "hissed a reptilian voice, "are we certain that his is the place?"

A much larger humanoid nodded. "Yes, our sources say it is and our own observations prove it. Though the walls of power still stand, and it will be neigh impossible to try to breach it with the small task force we have available to us. Though I we can pull such a stunt off, we may very well hold the balance of power in our favor against those weaklings." The two were gazing into a large pool of water, images flickering across the surface. The reptile was coiled like rope while the blue skin of the other caused flakes of frost to form where ever he stepped.

The reptile laughed. "It will feel good to sink my fangs into the flesh of a scion my sworn enemy. Ready the raiding party, we will soon strike." The giant slammed his fist into his shoulder and muttered something a long forgotten tongue. They would have their vengeance.

* * *

**The brawl scene wasn't my best, but I found it difficult to write a four way battle in a formal way like the Brawls have. But I hope you guys enjoyed it. The next chapter will take a bit longer but it will be worth it.**


	3. The Howling

Tobey kicked his feet up on the table; his guns were laid out before him. It was a daily thing he did, check and clean his weapons if needed. His girlfriend Cherry Bomb asked constantly if he could do it somewhere else, he replied that if someone was looking into their dining room and saw these many guns, would he have second thoughts about robbing this house. That always won the argument, he chuckled as he recalled those moments with her. A fine lass she was, a mother without children but desired them. She and Tobey almost always had the "talk" so to say about children, and both agreed that in wedlock they would do such a thin if they were fortunate enough.

He smiled as he remembered their first date together. Thanks to his connections with the Mega Corporations, he managed to get her into a state of the art restaurant. She was out of her element, Cherry was use to the being in the Barrens. The gangland in which many gangs, some well known like the Holloweenies to others less known such as the Viking Dwarfs. When she saw him there, it was a surprise for both of them. Tobey though he was calling in a favor for Gallowglass, but he had used it so that Cherry could be with Tobey. After a nice meal together the two were about to kiss good bye, a group of shadowrunners, the violent spitfucks, broke into the place. Thankfully, his friend Smith and brother Wesson were right there to help him make six pounding arguments.

He spun the chamber around that revolver, making sure the gun was oiled and cared for. Satisfied, he jerked his wrists back and aimed the gun down the table. A few empty clicks on the hammer showed that the actions were in the right place. He placed the revolver down, almost reverently, upon a stainless cloth. He hears a pair of footsteps approach him, and he arched his gaze over his shoulder and eyed Lucas. The kid was still dressed in his tee shirt and jeans, which appeared to be his only wardrobe choice. "Hey there chummer. What can Tobey do for you?" Tobey asked chuckling as Lucas pulled him up onto a seat next to him.

"Tobey, is seven in the morning, why are you wearing sunglasses?" The tyke asked and yawned all the while. Tobey chuckled with a sigh mixed in with it. He knew someone why he was going to wear sunglasses all the time, even in the moon light. He took off the sunglasses and rubbed his deep emeralds and looked to Lucas. Lucas looked right into them and shuttered involuntarily. The eyes were not just emerald, but the veins pumped with a green energy.

"Two reasons, Lucas." Tobey began as he placed the black glasses back on his eyes. "One, as with all meta-humans, dwarfs, elves, orks and trolls- we suffer from an allergy. Mine happens to be sunlight. It's nothing to serious, but throws my aim off and sight if I am unprotected from it. Second- if you see someone walking down the street with emerald eyes, it draws unnecessary attention." He laughed slightly. "The second reason is caused by my connection with the totems of the shaman."

He flexed his hand and a band of green energy coiled around his hands. Lucas rubbed his eyes and looked at the bands of the raw nature flowing around Tobey's right arm. Lucas watched the bans coil around and around the arm. Tobey held out his hand and allowed the coil to move towards Lucas. The young kid retracted his hand as the strange feeling swept over him but he soon got use to it. He laughed slightly as the green bands of energy crawled across his body. Tobey held out his hand and the band of energy swept back to his body and soon disappeared. "The powers of the shaman."

Lucas chuckled slightly and looked to the guns Tobey was cleaning. He saw a collection of bullets laying down next to a leather pouch with several runes carved unto it. Lucas picked one of the bullets up and examined it. It was no normal bullet he ad ever seen. It was mystically engraved, with runes and symbols adorning the jacket. The head glowed with a pulsing green. "What is this tye of a bullet?" Lucas asked.

Tobey reached over and picked up the bullet with reverence of some sort before he slid it into the secondary chamber of his assault rifle. "A bullet with potent technology inside of it. A sort of… how do I say this? Magical insecticide used to stomp out the spirits of bug monsters. This little chummer is a piece of technology and magic combining. Precise and potent, guaranteeing a kill on a hit." He chambered the round and placed the rifle back on the table and began to place the bullets into their magazines. "Where man meets machine meets magic. That is what the world I come from can be best described."

The two laughed and Tobey began to give Lucas a crash course in firearm repair. Lucas was at peace with Tobey, and Tobey found someone he could be a mentor to.

* * *

Zelda sighed and walked the halls by herself . Her cheeks felt as if they were on fire and her she felt so mad that she could spit acid. She was forced to admit it but Ike was right. She was jealous, though she never expect for herself to admit it. Who was she, Lithia a new comer, to just walk right in and take the man she wanted without a second though. She was mad at her yes, but she was madder at herself. Why didn't she tell Ike her feelings when she had the opportunity, why did she remain such a tight lip? She slammed her fist against the wall and felt several bones get placed under the strain of the blow. She grunted in pain and was about to swear in both ager and pain.

She just continued to walk to her shared dorm with the two other female smashers; Samus and Princess Peach. She opened the door and saw the other two chatting happily, mainly about their boyfriends and what they think of the new comers. They looked to Zelda and the mood instantly changed. Zelda had no idea how she looked. Her dress was crinkled in so many places, her eyes were shot red by tears and the once braided hair was now just a tangled mess. Zelda just walked, almost numbly towards the couch and plopped down on it, placing one of her arms over her eyes. Samus sat up and looked at her. "Zelda, what is it?"

Zelda mumbled a few swear words in the tongue of Hyrule. "Nothing Samus. There is nothing wrong." Peach moved up and picked up Zelda's arm and was met with eyes that could shoot daggers if they so desired. Peach shook her head and sat back down in her seat.

"Well, Zelda, if it makes you that mad, then it is obviously not nothing. What is bothering you." She pursed her lips together and smirked. "Could it be that you have competition for a certain blue haired swordsman?" That got a response from her. Zelda pulled out one of her throwing knives she kept on hand and threw the blade. It went right through the Mushroom Kingdom's princess' fingers, and cut the glove. It did not draw any blood but it was rather a warning statement. "I'll take that as a yes."

Zelda sighed and pulled herself up from the couch. "Can it Peach." She demanded the bubble to do so. "But who is that little bitch Lithia think she is? She can just walk right in and take what she pleases? How can she do such a thing?" Her voice broke and the other two nodded. They knew that Zelda was lusting after Ike for a while, and to see some new gal come in and take what Zelda desired was a very low move. Peach sighed and sat next to her.

"Why are you jealous that Ike is sparring with Lithia? It doesn't mean that they are instantly in a relationship. It only means that he wants to train her and what harm is it in that?" Samus asked, lack of careless was evident in her voice. She had made it clear long ago that she was indifferent to the loves and lives of many others, but that didn't mean she was a cold hearted broad.

Zelda sighed and shook her head. "It could start out as sparing partners, then it could be sharing meals together, then it could be sharing precious moments together, like the sunset or a romantic movie for two." The tone of envy was evident in her voice.

"Zelda, don't you think you're just being paranoid?" A new voice spoke up, revealing the one and only blond haired swordsman, Link. His brow was drenched in sweat, representing he had been sparring with somebody, and from the bruises on his arms and neck, it looked as if he was picking a fight with Solid Snake. He walked next to there and sat on the arm of the couch. "It's no secret around the mansion that you have feelings for him, but being territorial isn't the way to make him fall for you. You need to tell him that you love him and he might keep Lithia at arms distance."

Zelda groaned, not at Link but rather at herself. "I tried but I couldn't formulate the words of which to say it. What would he think of me, a princess who has any man of her choosing picking him, a humble Mercenary commander who is from another place far from her homeland? I half though that he would have laughed at me and turn me down. And when he did seem to be interested in what I would have to say, I didn't speak." She groaned and threw her head back. "Goddesses, I feel like the world's biggest idiot. Why am I the best in statecraft but the worlds worst when it comes to love?"

Link threw his arm over her, "Listen, it's difficult to confess one's love for the other, but in the end it is worth it. It's rich coming from me, I know, but then again its common knowledge that it is among one of the most difficult things to do." She laughed, but it was a fake laugh, she was hurt an torn over this. A layman could tell you the signs and it would be obvious that there was something wrong with her heart.

"Well, do you still want Ike?" She asked and Zelda nodded. The bubbly princess looked to Zelda, then to link, back to Zelda and then back to Link. Peach looked as if she had an idea forming inside her head. "Well, I have an idea, and you may just get him back."

* * *

Ulfric slammed his axe against Leman's shield against and the two warriors grunted in strain against each other. Ulfric shouted a word of power and tossed Leman off of his balance. Rising his axe again, Ulfric slammed it upon him and bashed Leman aside. Leman howled with laughter and struck out with his large axe at Ulfric. The axe blow took the wind out of him and flew a few feet. Leman took advantage of this and leapt forward and slammed the axe down into Ulfric's chest. Ulfric brought his own axe up to intercept the blow, just barely. Growling, Leman delivered a powerful blow from his foot in to the side of Ulfric.

Ulfric rose from his feet and tossed his axe aside, preferring the sword on his left side. He unsheathes it and beckoned for Leman to strike out at him. Laughing, Leman obliged and brought his axe down in a swooping over headed blow. Ulfric dodged the clumsy and slow blow, but not before he drove his sword through Leman's side. The barbarian howled in pain and locked Ulfric in a head lock and tightened. Ulfric gasped for air, none would come to expel his opponent. He felt his world growing cloudy and he knew he could take not more. He slammed his open palm against Leman's head, distorting the attacker and slipped out of the headlock.

Leman laughed and pulled the blade out of his side. He tossed it back to Ulfric, "You are truly a force to be reckoned with. I can now see why they call you Stormcloak now. You are as nimble as a cloak and contain more fury then the storm." Ulfric laughed as he sheathed his blade and reached for a bottle of chilled mead. He handed one to Leman, who twisted his wrist and pulled the cork loose. He let the mead from his home land wash down the back of his throat and looked over to Leman.

"You are a fine warrior yourself. Though I must ask you, what of your homeland? I can see that the winds are cold and you can prove yourself with an axe on the fields of battle. It leads me to wonder if there are other nations out there who are like my home of blessed Skyrim."

Leman sighed and wondered how he could respond. "Well, my homeland is a bit difficult to explain, there is so much to it that I am sure you would have difficulty to understand even if I was to explain it to you. My father is the one of few of the rulers, a powerful and wise man. My father is one of the few of the elites who specifically takes the burden upon his shoulders to defend humanity from all threats, both those of the supernatural and domestic. Wielding a massive Warhammer, he charges against those who threaten those that are his charge. It is in his shadow that I live in, hoping to aspire to deeds of legend that he had achieved. I only hope that one day I am worthy of that honor."

Ulfric nodded, the words ringing familiar to him. "It was the same for me. I fought a war against the Dominion; the High Elves decided it was time to bring a terrible blow against the Empire. My father and I were captured and we were tortured. Those were dark days, and I gave in to the pain and spoke. My father died, taking his pain like a true Nord. I was a coward, I surrendered to those damned knife ears, but I was let free. I then returned to my home of Windhelm and found a city sharing my sorrow and rage. Countless Nords died defending the Empire from those elves and for what? They sold Skyrim to the Dominion, so the Emperor could keep the throne." Ulfric had to keep his voice lowered but the anger was clearly evident in his voice.

"I lead my rebellion because the jarls of my land, once strong and wise men were reduced to puppets addicted to the Imperial coin. This was the final straw when they didn't raise a voice against the banned worship of Talos, the founder of the empire. It was then I challenged the high king to the old way, many witnesses gathered and I slew him in the old duel." He shook his head. "It is after all of this has happened that I now know my father would be proud of me, that I have lived up to sit upon his throne."

Leman nodded. He took another swig of his mead and turned to see one of the smashers, Marth if he could recall correctly asking if Leman could come quickly. Leman placed his bottle down and followed the worried prince. They went to another one of the training halls a where Lithia was curled up on the ground, Ike kneeling down next to her worried about her. Lithia was muttering something in a throated ol language, rambling. Leman got down on one knee and felt her skin. She was burning, but it was from the recent sweat and brawl that made her hot, not the tell tale signs of sickness. He listened to her words, _Den store slangen stiger fra tidevann, går onkel mot undergang hans. Den endelige horn skal ringe, og brua skal bli besmittet av guden av triks_. But he directed his attention back to Ike, "What happened?"

The blue haired mercenary shook his head. We were sparring one moment, I was showing her how to properly use a dirk and sword combo and then she crumpled to the ground. Uttering this old language and tossing around for a while. Marth was nearby and I sent for you, hoping that you would know what language it is." He nodded and looked back to Lithia, and his brows flurried in complexion. If he indeed did know the language, he neglected to show it. He rose and shook his head.

"It's probably just dazed ramblings from exhaustion, it will pass soon. When she snaps out of it, give her some water and make her rest." Leman turned to the exit and his gaze fell upon the princess, Zelda he recalled and the green clothed swordsman. He heard them chatter as they passed a bit to slowly passed the doors. It was not by any accident, it was meant on purpose. He had heard that the princess was quite an accomplished sorceress, and he was about to have a few words with her about this.

But he had to wonder, if they were involved, why make themselves be seen, or was their passing for another reason. Regardless, he needed to ask the Princess of Hyrule about this, weather she was involved in it or not.

* * *

The smell of the cold mountain wind willed his lungs, a luxury which he had available to him at any time he pleased, but he enjoyed it none of the less. Sometimes it was best for a man to hang on to the humble things in life, like the cold mountain air to name one. He ran his fingers through his long blond hair, unbraided for the first time in a very long while. From his side he held his favored weapon, the weight so heavy that only he and few others could wield it, let alone pick it up.

He heard a pair of boots come up behind him and he could tell with out even looking whom those boots belonged to. "Father, come to join me have you?" He heard a gruff aye from behind and soon his father stood by his side and looked out the mountain range. The sound of the merry making faded into the background as the doors slowly shut. His father, an old man by many standards, stood next to him dressed in his battle gear. Though he was old, he was still strong ad battle ready, his personal spear was never used as a cane, rather it was made to kill his foes, not to support him. He wore a eye patch over his right eye symbol of that everything has its own price.

"You're think about him, aren't you." It wasn't a question. The blond haired man sighed and nodded. Though he too was many ages old, his father was far more older and much more experienced. There was nothing that passed his gazed, unless he wished it to be so.

"Yes, it is after all, this is his first time away from here. When he asked me if he could go, I was surprised." The younger man kicked some snow next to him free and let the wind take those few snowflakes. His father gently laid one of his hands on his shoulder in a fatherly gesture. It communicated that this was just how he felt when he left home for the first time. The younger man placed his hand on it and the two chuckled for a moment.

The moment died when the older man stumbled back clutching his head, groaning in pain. His spear tumbled to the ground and he fell down on his knees. The younger man swooped down and comforted his father and looked at him worriedly. "Father, what is it?"

* * *

Tobey dropped his mug of ale on the cement patio. He swore colorfully as thousands of voices screamed in agony. He knew these voices, they were the elements . Earth and wind screamed while fire and water seemed to laugh as one. Lucas next o him must have felt a minor backlash and bit his bottom lip. "Tobey, what was that?" Lucas asked when the pain passed away for him. He felt as if something terrible has happened he felt his cheeks and noticed tears. It was as if he was crying for someone… or something.

Tobey pulled off his shades and wiped away his own tears. "I felt it too Lucas perhaps even more so. The elements are unbalanced, for something or by someone." He looked over to a leather pouch and grabbed it along with his prized revolver. "Lucas, I need you to come with me. It's about time I commune with the spirits. Perhaps the can tell me something about this."

Lucas followed him and he too could feel that all around the mansion, there were many who had felt something on one degree of pain or another. He wondered what this was about, but he knew he would be told all in good time.

* * *

Leman rushed to his room and picked up a small locked chest and after drawing some of his own blood, he pressed his hand against the lock. The blood lock activated and the chest opened. Inside there was a small vial of cloudy liquid. He noticed that it was glowing faint blues and greens. He swore in the same language that Lithia was not to long ago. He put the vial back and unsheathed a sword covered in runes, and they too pulsed with energies.

He slammed the blade back in his sheath and tied it off at his waist. He then left his dorm and walked down the hallway, using his finely tuned memory to retrace that little sorceress. He found her in the library, the hero of time nowhere to be seen. She turned to him with a smile on her face. "Ahh, Lean, it's a pleasure to see you. Tell me, is there anything I can do for you?"

He shut the door behind him and locked it. Fortunately, the twin hands were nowhere in the mansion so he didn't need to worry about their interventions. "Yes there is something you can do for me." Her face looked as if she awaited his request and he drew his sword. The face became confused but it seemed to turn with fear and realization when Leman pointed the tip a mere inch or two from her throat. "You can tell me what you know, or I will sever that head of yours right where you stand."

* * *

**Well, things are happening. I hope you enjoy this chapter and that you will review.**

**Have a good one,**

**Flame Falcon**


	4. Confessions and Conflicts

Zelda looked at the blade, a mere three inches from her throat. She looked into Leman's eyes and saw no trace of a joke or laughter. He was dead serious and was more than ready to carry out his threat. She took the opportune silence to examine Leman a bit more loosely. He had bulging biceps, so impossibly thick with muscle that even Ike would be put to shame with them. She took one step back and he took one forward in sequence with her. It was quite clear that he was not going to back off, and he twisted the blade right next to her throat. "What did he promise you or is this a sick joke you decided to play?"

Zelda cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms, getting ready to cast her spell if worst came. "I have no idea what you mean Leman. Surely you must be mistak-"She didn't finish her thought before he slid the edge gently across her cheek, not putting too much pressure on it. He withdrew his blade from her cheek and it came back bloody. Her hand reached up to her cheek and felt some warm liquid spill down her cheek. She recoiled at her own blood spilled down on her hand, in fact there was quite a bit of blood.

"My patience is at its end, Zelda. Now you will talk me about what you did or I will kill you where stand." Leman growled and Zelda knew that he was more then ready to carry it out if he was required to. Zelda lashed out with Din's fire, but Leman parried it with his blade, a move she had never seen before. "So I will have to beat that out of you then, so be it." He grinned and like a caged animal set loose, he leapt into the air with his blade raised high into the air. Zelda tried to step out of the way, but she felt Leman's fist lash out and sent her sprawling when is blade missed.

She landed harshly once and was about to bounce again. But something stopped her from dong that, namely something that had a death grip on her throat. Her eyes shot open and were looking dead straight into Leman's eyes who were filled with a primal hate. He lifted her above his head and tightened his grip. She fought for breath, but none would come to fill her burning lungs. Her vision was turning cloudy before he released her from his massive grip.

She landed hard on the floor, her breath coming back to her in labored breaths. Leman planted his boot onto her chest, keeping her pinned to the ground. "Now Zelda, are we ready to have a nice conversation?" She inhaled a few more breaths before she nodded. Leman knelt down to her position and placed the sword and placed it right next to her. "Remember, if you lie to me, then I will make sure you suffer for it."

* * *

Tobey let Lucas go from his shoulders and took in a deep breath of the air. On top of one of the highest hills they could find. Tobey took the backpack off and placed it down on the ground and looked through the bag and pulled out four smaller bags to summon the elements for them. Lucas took the bags and opened them. Tobey told him that they were not the elements actually in there, in the case of fire and air, but water and earth had their own elements. Water was in a small vial though it was different then other types of water Lucas had seen and the earth was a mixture of dirt, sand and pebbles. Tobey took off his sunglasses and calmed his breathing down. Lucas noticed that his veins of energy were pulsing more brightly then before.

"Lucas, remember that dealing with elements are dangerous business. I can only control then for so long and if worse comes to worse, fight back against them." Lobey said with a grave seriousness in his voice. When Lucas nodded, Tobey reached into the vial of water and sprinkled a few drops on the earth before him. When the water hit the ground, his fingers raced Native American runes and symbols to summon the element from the water. He spoke in a foreign language but it was clear that it was meant to summon the spirit. Within moments, the few drops of water grew in size and began to take upon a human shape. The Element was of an indiscreet humanoid figure and had two glowing silver eyes.

Tobey reached into the bag of earth and pulled out a fist full. He let the silt and rocks fall from his hands in a pattern, and soon the areas where they landed became pulsing with life and a four legged animal. Representing the spirits of the wild, it took on the form of a deer with vines and other leafy plants sprouting from its body. Using the lighter and whispering some words into the dancing flame, the element of fire took form and it was made or brining rock, with talons of obsidian for fingers/ Finally, he tossed three painted feathers and soon the form of the winds took shape. "You have called for us, mere mortal. We have arrived; you had best not squander this opportunity. " The element of fire said in a sinister and burning tone.

Tobey nodded and raised his hand. "I understand element. But I sense that there is a disturbance amongst the calm balance of the natural elements. Usually that isn't followed by anything good. I summoned you four because as the primary elements you should know what is happening amongst the balance and natural order of things." Lucas noted how he kept a calm voice through the conversation. Water seemed to take interest in this and cupped his hands together.

"If you wish to see as we do, then drink this." Tobey held out a bowl and the element poured the water into the bowl. Tobey withdrew his bowl and looked down into the water. He was warned against taking gifts from the elementals , some of them would bend his mind in more ways then a simple arcane spell could. But if he needed to see what was causing great disturbance in the natural order of things, he would have to take the risk. He brought the ethereal liquid to his lips and drank the substance. He prostrated himself and let the visions take him.

The visions were cloudy, he couldn't see himself or hear his voice. It was something he had to watch, not interact with. The visions took him to a dark place, a cave or somewhere beneath the earth. He heard the clamping of feet and the sounds of weapons sharpening. The air all around him was cold, like deep winter frost. Then in one moment, he felt a searing flame, like feeling the sun on your face with your eyes squeezed shut. He heard a calamity of voices, in the throats of the Nordic accents and other elements. He then heard a snake whispering in his ear and a howl of a wolf. Yet the visions progressed deeper and deeper.

He heard a man scream with the sound of a liquid dropping, drop by drop by drop. Soon a new cant emerged in his head._ Den store slangen stiger fra tidevann, går onkel mot undergang hans. Den endelige horn skal ringe, og brua skal bli besmittet av guden av triks_. He heard it repeated over and over. It was in a very old language, perhaps older then time itself.

* * *

Lucas watched as Tobey went into his fits of the visions, but Lucas felt something when he succumbed to the visions. The elements of fire and water soon wrestled free from their bods and soon the native grasses beneath them were placed to the torch. "I must consume. For too long my brethren and I have remained in the hearths, the bonfires, and the controlled spaces. I seek to now burn and consume all in my way."

Lucas watched as the obsidian talons of the flame element lashed open Tobey, slicing through his coat drawing an ample amount of blood. Lucas wanted to react but he felt his feet remain lued to their place . Earth turned to fire with a look of rage upon his face. "Brother Flame, you must control yourself. If you roam free, there will be many who will be harmed by your burning. Return to your fires and to your home world; do not let this world suffer."

Water lashed out with a fury of curses. "You two have the greatest domain of us all. The wind blows where it wills and no man can command it and earth, you are what makes this world as it is. For Fire and myself, we are confined. Let us go where we please and this world will be crafted in a new image, one of fire and ice. "

The wind spirit spoke and with a gust of wind, extinguished that burning grasses. "Your place is not to roam free, think of the floods and of the wildfires that would make this world cease to exist. Your selfish ways are not for the elements. Now cease and repent." Lucas looked back to Tobey was on the verge of bleeding out. The water the element gave him was to slacken his control and to break free from the bonds that were on them. Lucas saw the revolver still in its holster and he took the chance and dove for the weapon.

Fire was too distracted with the battle of his brethren that he neglected to see Lucas withdrawing the weapon. "Fire," Lucas stated, feeling some unnatural conviction flow through his veins. "Earth begged, air demanded, but now I warn." The fire spun and raised his massive obsidian claw above his head. Lucas pulled the trigger, but nothing happened, then he remembered that the gun was gene-locked, so only Tobey and he alone could fire the weapon. Lucas tossed it aside and threw his ice spell at the enraged element. The contact of ice against fire, each their antithesis. The Ice spell extinguished the flame element, forcing the element to return to the place where it came from. Water grabbed ahold of Lucas in one fluid motion, but couldn't do much before Earth and Wind turned against their enraged brother.

Lucas fell drenched to the ground, but the ominous voice of water uttered one last curse. "Motherless scum, you will regret this decision. When the day comes, we will never forgive or forget this event!" Lucas coughed up some water and crawled over to Tobey, who had stooped breathing, most of his life force was spilling out in a crimson fluid. Tobey's eyes were closed and he clenched something in his hands . Lucas tried to control himself but was met with little success.

He turned to the stag, pleading. "Please, bring him back to life!" He wept, tears rolling down his face. The stag didn't speak but it trotted over to the cooling corpse. The stag batted his head against Tobey's and it didn't react .

"Lucas, " the wind element knelt down to him, "death is a natural course of events. We all must die one day, and I know youhave suffered through that more then once. Tobey would join the elements with us, his life given so that others may live because of him" Lucas was about ready to wail, but then the element of air placed his open hand on the chest of tobey sealing the wound and forcing a rod of air, pulsing with the same glowing green energy that ran through Tobey's veins. "But today is not that day. You have done much for us, but the darker days are ahead. Do not speak of this to anyone, Tobey will tell in his own time but the order of balance has been placed out. Prepare yourself young Lucas."

The elements vanished and not even a second afterwards, Tobey inhaled sharp and rose from his death bed. "Lucas… Lucas where are you?" Lucas wrapped his arms around him and Tobey returned it. Tobey nodded to Lucas, who could only smile. Lucas pulled himself to his feet and picked up his revolver.

"So what do we do next?" Lucas asked. Tobey clutched his sore side and slowly walked slowly down the hill, using a long stick for a support for his weight. Tobey shook his head and with a shaky hand reattached his sunglasses.

"I don't know Lucas. We don't mention anything, but I need to figure out what exactly I witnessed. Until that day, you and I will remain quiet about this." Lucas nodded and walked next to Tobey, who ruffled the kid's hair.

* * *

Leman nodded once and placed his sword down. Zelda was still angry at him, but not so much anymore. "Please your highness, I need to ask for your forgiveness on this. It was rude and impolite of me to do such a thing, but it was in the best of ideas at the time. The words, your ability of the sorceress and everything else. It was all too obvious that it was you who was going this."

Zelda nodded but crossed her arms, "Yes Leman, you are indeed forgiven. What did you think it was? Yes, I'm angry with Lithia, but if I was to harm her, I would down it to her face. My spells of the arcane is nothing I hide behind. Besides, if you saw someone take the love you wanted, you would act too."

He sighed and placed his sword back into his sheath. He placed one of his hands on her cheek, though she recoiled when he touched her, though he couldn't blame her the slightest. She felt some bands of energy trickle into her skin and she felt the wound heal with ease. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting with a dark red crimsion hue to the sky. He rose from his seat and left her to herself.

Zelda sighed and ruffled her head. Was it truly that obvious? Did she really want Ike so bad that even Leman was willing to come to blows against her? She sighed again and massaged her temples. She knew that it was dinner and she was supposed to be there, but she didn't feel about going anywhere. She rose from her seat and thought about something for a while. She then smiled as she got an idea and left the library. S

She walked down the hall and when she reached the main area of dorms, she knocked on a door. There was the sound of rustling to meet her and when the door opened, she saw Ulfric looking at her with a look of surprise. "Ulfric, is this a good time?" He nodde and allowed her to come in. She bowed her head in thanks and entered. The room was very… Nordic she supposed. Horns adorned the walls with candles in them, providing light. Stone aligned the walls and dark blue drapes covered the windows. Ulfric gestured towards a finely wrought chair and Zelda sat down in it, while Ulfric took to the side of his bed.

"Now, why would Zelda come to me at such a late hour? What do you require or ask of me?" She smiled slightly and fiddled with her gloved hands. How was it best to ask this, direct or should she beat around the bush?

"Ulfric, I need something from you." When he raised an eyebrow, she continued. "This new girl, Lithia, she has been insulting me behind my back. Calling me a coward, a lowly spell user, and a slave to men, not a real woman amongst other titles." She bit her bottom lip and continued. "I want to prove her wrong but I just don't know how to. If I challenged her to a brawl and if I won, she would use my reliance on the arcane as trickery. Even if I turn into Sheik, she would call it magic and I would be scoffed at."

Ulfric shook his head. "Zelda, you may not have the gift of a strong axe arm like she or I do, but you have something she doesn't. " He rose from his seat and placed the back of his hand under her chin, raising it and having her look into his eyes. "You have a strong heart and a strong mind. Do not be daunted by such words. But I may help you with that if you want to call her out on that." He walked over to a chest and she followed him. He unlocked it and withdrew a cloth covered blade. He took the cloth off, one strand at a time.

When he was finished, he handed her a sword made of refined metals that were almost as golden as Ragnell was. "This is the Dwarven sword my second in command used to slay a general known as Tullius, who was the leader of the empire retaining control over my home of Skyrim." He wrapped her hands around the grip and let her feel the weight. It was balanced and sharp. She practiced with it a few times and smiled slightly to herself. "I will send her out to the gardens when the time comes, and there is the way of settling arguments in Skyrim. Challenge them to the strength at arms and it will be the way any argument to settle."

She nodded and bowed her head in thanks. "Thank you Ulfric. It was kind of you to listen to me."

He nodded and opened the door for her and the two stepped out of the door. "It was my honor, Zelda. Though if you challenge Lithia, you must be willing to accept defeat along with it, should it come with for you."

"I understand."

* * *

"Are you certain of this?" An old and gruff voice filled the main hall of the palace. The old speaker, dressed in the hide of a bear, questioned a much younger man, clad in plate armor with several etchings of runes and dried blood. "Is that what the runes stated? Did you cast them as they had done before."

"I'm afraid so, Galmar." Said the younger one, whose given name was Sigmund, but most Nords knew him by another name. "They were casted as the ancestors have done many times again and again. They all stated the same thing. "Where the High King be is the start of the three year winter that will branch out into Skyrim, and with it the gods of old and the End Wolf with the World Serpent will devour all."

Galmar growled, "Damned elves, what are they up to now?" The general stormed back to the tactical briefing room, where they had not to long ago decided the fate of the war that united all of Skyrim. Sigmund fell into step behind the old bear and shook his head. "Ulfric must be warned about this. If this is what the runes foretold, then it is very grave indeed. Alduin would be a mouse compared to this rune telling."

Sigmund leveled his hands on the table of the map of Skyrim and looked over the kingdom before he responded. "I will go and warn the High King. He owes his life to me and I need to be certain that nothing has happened to him."

Galmar growled again, "If it is so, then you would best take one of our top lieutenants. I would go with you, but my place is here, where I can defend the kingdom if those blasted Thalmor attempt to attack us while our high king is in danger. If they come on this soil again, I'll kick their arses back to their Dominion."

Sigmund, known to most as the Dragonborn, smiled. "I am certain you could you old bear. I'll head out shortly but not to early, incase this is indeed a Thalmor trap. Keep your brother."

Galmar nodded. "And he will keep you." The common Farwell finished, the Dragonborn left to gather an old friend of his.

* * *

Lucas and Tobey poured over pages from the many tomes of knowledge in the library. Looking for anything that matched the descriptions from the visions Tobey suffered, they tried, and most often failed in finding anything of use. After a while, they found what they were looking for and Tobey nodded grimly. Collecting the book needed Lucas and Tobey went their separate ways, Lucas to get dinner, and Tobey to read this old tome.

* * *

Lithia laughed as she stepped out into the evening garden. She was told by one of the other newcomers, Ulfric if she recalled correctly, that someone was outside waiting for her. She looked around and didn't see anyone. "So, you aren't afraid to come out here then." A new voice spoke up revealing the face of Princess Zelda. Lithia looked at her and saw that she was carrying a sword in one of her hands. Her hand reached for her own sword as Zelda continued. "You have a lot of nerves for a newcomer. Instulting is one thing, doing it only to infuriate me is another."

Lithia scoffed and unsheathed her own blade and pointed it at Zelda. "Is this about Ike?" She scoffed when Zelda didn't respond. "It's only the way of us, if you don't act, you lose. He shows interest in me and did you know what he thinks of you truly?" Zelda bit her tongue, not rising to the bait. "He thinks that you are worthless, a whore slave to anything that walks. The bitch who jumps from one mate to the other, stars and stones, e hates your being."

Zelda coulding control her rage any longer and slammed her blade into Lithia's. "You will regret saying those words." She withdrew her blade and slammed it again into Lithia's blade. Lithia parried again and laughed. Zelda remembered al of what her teachers taught her, from Link, to Marth, to even Ike. She fell back into a defencive stance and waited for Lithia to lash out at her again. In all honesty, she didn't have to wait long. Lithia slashed at her with blade and shield, Zelda parried each and every time.

"What, are you to cowardly to fall back on magic? Oh wait, never mind." She mocked her, casuing Zelda to scream in rage. What little self control she possessed left shattered into a thousand pieces. She lashed out with rage and anger, taking Lithia by surprise. While she tried in vain to parry the blows, some struck her drawing blood and soon she knew she couldn't keep this up for long.

Lithia tossed aside her blade and slammed a balled fist into the chest of Zelda. Zelda let go of the blade in shock, but she soon slammed her own fist back into the jaw of Lithia. "You want to see martial pride, you want to see anger?" Zelda said menacingly and basked Lithia with another blow. Lithia soon went sprawling and Zelda kicked up her blade back into her hands. She placed the tip of it at Lithia's throat. "I could kill right now and I would laugh." Lithia's eyes were wide with something Zelda had not seen before; fear. All of the pride, gloating and arrogance was replaced with that one emotion. Zelda leaned in closely. "Stay away from Ike and if I ever catch you talking smack about me behind my back, though my father and mother's spirit demands me not, I will NOT stay my hand. Do I make myself clear?"

Lithia nodded and Zelda stood back. She then brought the heavy end of the sword down on Lithia's skull, knocking her out cold. She smiled satisfaction and sheathed her sword. She had one more visit to make.

* * *

Ike sighed and moved back to his room, the day was long and interesting for him. He helped Lithia recuperate from her affliction, watched Zelda walk down with link through the hall hand in hand, and many other things. The two he mentioned by name were the most notable and frankly, he did feel a little bit of anger with the second one. He had feelings for her yes, but he knew it was silly of him to think of them. She couldn't love him, who was he to catch her eye? A mercenary captain to the loveliest princess known to history? It wouldn't happen.

He unlocked his door and turned on the lights to his room and was met with a shock. He saw none other then Zelda. She was standing in her emerald green dress and she was smiling at him. With a wave of her hand, the door shut behind him and Ike's jaw almost dropped to the floor. "Ike, we need to talk." He swallowed hard and nodded, placing his sword down on the ground next to him. "Ike, do you think I'm…. a whore?" She asked with tears forming in her eyes.

He shook his head furiously. "No Zelda! Why would you even think I would say such a thing about you?"

"It was Lithia… she said that you made some comments about me." She sat down on the edge of the bed and Ike sat next to her. "I challenged her on that but I need to hear from you."

Ike turned her face to meet his and she saw him smiling at her. "She was wrong Zelda. You are a kind and lovely person. I would never say such bad things about you, but you should stop having me say everything, after all, this affects both of us."

Zelda ran her fingers through his hair, "You want me to say it don't you? Fine, I love you big dummy. I think we were meant for each other. And I don't want that to end. I though you would laugh at me and think that I was playing with your feelings and back stab you for such a thing. I was with link to get you mad and ditch Lithia and come to me."

Ike laughed, causing Zelda to almost cry but he reassured her. "I'm not laughing that you though it was foolish, I though of it the same way. And, "he said cupping her chin, "I love you too, dummy."

She slugged him gently in the arm. "Hey, that's only funny when I do it." He chuckled with her and the two made their feelings known when their lips laid upon each other's. For Ike he felt as if he had found someone to love, and for Zelda, she finally got what she wanted.

* * *

**An eventful chapter to say the least, I hope you guys enjoy this.**


	5. The First Blood

Tobey pulled another cap off the needles and slammed the pain killer into his arm again where suddenly there was beginning to form a red circle from the constant injections. Being an elf did have its perks as well as its disadvantages. One of them was a weak constitution so natural healing was an uphill battle, especially when you are getting the derek smacked out of you by elements. He didn't know for sure what Lucas did, but it was enough for him to take the tyke to get a steak dinner. Though Tobey couldn't eat one himself, changed metabolism that affected along with his goblinization, he decided that the kid earned it. He constantly peered over the tome of knowledge, looking for something to describe his vision. He spoke and read twenty languages as well as native tongues. This one was beyond him however.

He shook his head and tossed the syringe aside. The illustrations were well enough to have some of the points across. The hissing was obviously that of a snake, but to which he did not know. He did know that the howling was that of a wolf, not the coyote. He was a trained member in the aspect of the Bear, a sign of healing and strength. He knew full well the sounds of the other animals. He constantly got a kick out of it, being in touch with nature while living in the concrete jungle. One of the few traits that made him Tobey.

He flicked a few pages over and eventually he shut the old leather tome. Doing so, he noticed a symbol embossed into the spine. He looked at it and found that it was none other than a hammer, perhaps that of a blacksmith, hanging upside down on the hand of it's wielder. Unusual, the symbol of the hammer was not known in his world. The only time he encountered hammers was at the end of an enraged troll and those were sledgehammers. Perhaps this was something he needed the help of another expert on, someone who knew of old tomes.

He opened his door and closed it behind him, making sure it clicked locked. He walked down the hallway, a slight pain forced him to use a mistletoe cane he sometimes use for communing with the supernatural. He passed several of the other smashers, even a very battered and bruised Lithia. She looked as if she had the living derek beaten out of her. A few sword cuts and the bruises of bludgeoning with the heavy end of a sword covered her frame. Tobey had an idea what happened, but for his sake he remained quiet. The last thing he needed was more trouble coming his way. It was bad enough he had people far away after his head, he didn't need any more of them here.

He reached his door, and the smell of smoke and other magical properties hit him like a solid wall. He used his cane to rap on the door and he heard heavy mailed boot stomps come his way. The door open and the smell increased tenfold. Ganondorf, the Dark Wizard among other titles, looked at Tobey. Tobey was one of the few who met Ganondorf's height and the two had an unspoken moment of questioning in their eyes. Eventually, Ganon allowed him entrance to his lair. Tobey bowed his head as a sign of respect.

Tobey examined what was Ganondorf's hovel. It was seething with arcane energies, both of foul and pleasant. Ganondorf gave him a look that asked why he was there. Tobey handed him the tome, "Thee is knowledge within this tome that I seek. I was wondering if your arcane knowledge will provide me anything that I can read these words." The Dark One nodded and opened the tome. He was soon flipping through these pages like a child on Christmas day. Tobey was wondering what was exactly going through the head of the wizard, but decided that it was best not to ask. On the safe side however, he primed his energies in his staff.

Ganondorf muttered a spell in the old language, perhaps the one from the tome or one from his homeland. Dark violet energies pulsed out of his hands and soon the words glowed with the same obvious glow. "This time, it is full of knowledge old and new. The words are in an old tongue, perhaps as old as the first sands." Ganondorf stroked his chin thinking hard. It was a difficult language to decipher, but it could be done. The villain turned to his alchemy table and began to mix several elements together, Tobey decided to stay a while and wait. He slammed his rod down hard upon the ground and soon he levitated about a foot in the air. Crossing his legs on the air beneath him, Tobey prepared himself for the patient wait.

* * *

Leman was out on the patio, a small clay pipe between his lips as he puffed away looking to the skies. He knew somewhere out there was his father, and so was his personal enemy. Leman grew up in the shadow of his father, always aspiring to be like him. While he did so in many ways, all of which his father praised him for, he wished that he could prove that he was more. His strength was at an equal, as was their courage to lead humanity to their destiny. He sighed and reached for another pinch of the herbs.

He was not alone on the patio, many of the other smashers were enjoying a cool summer's night. The mercenary known as Snake was with Samus, each of them over looking to the stars. Others ate their dinner, while a few of the children ran around on the green grass. Leman smiled slightly to himself. He never enjoyed that as a child. His child was a constant cycle of training the mind and body. The luxury he had was the rest periods, where he stared off into wonder to the mountains and rolling lands beneath them. He missed the mountain air from time to time, and he couldn't blame himself for it.

His took the pipe out of his mouth. He sucked in the rich, slightly cool air, purifying his lungs of any remaining smoke. However; he did not receive cool air. It felt… familiar. It shouldn't be here, not at this time. He breathed in again and noticed what was in the air. It was a slight amount of frost, just waiting to take form on the buildings, the walls and everything all around them. He over turned his pipe and removed the contents of the pipe. He placed the pipe back and walked off the patio and walked through the grasses. The dew had already began to from on it, but it would soon turn to frost. He could taste it in the very air.

As he walked farther and farther away, he noticed that it had begun to turn to frost. Underneath his massive coats of fur, he revealed his sword in the scabbard. He gently pulled the blade from the scabbard and noticed that it was glowing blue. His face snarled slightly and continued farther away from the mansion. It wouldn't be long, he thought to himself, until he would find out what was causing this frost.

He heard a hiss in his ear, causing him to unsheathe the blade, answer found. "So, you shown to be more like your father then you know." The voice chuckled and Leman knew who it was. Not the one who his father swore to kill with his last blow, rather it was the scion of it, just like he was the scion of his father's flesh.

Leman breathed out, his breath clear in front of him. "As are you, but like me, we are not like our fathers. Yours was a coward, destined to die by my father's hammer."

The sound in his ear chuckled. "You are foolish Leman. Just like your father, and his father before him. To tied down to tradition and old ideology, you don't see the true path of power. Cast aside your allegiance to those old sods upon their thrones and join us. We can promise you so much more than a simple kingdom to rule. "

"ENOUGH! Show yourself Jomon!" Leman bellowed forth from his lungs and so he was answered. A man about his height stood before him. Where others had skin, he had the scales of a mighty snake. Fangs were bared and two swords crafted from the bones of his brethren grasped firmly in his hands. Leman growled his own primal growl and leveled his sword against the monster. "You are a fool to think you can face me in honorable combat. My father grants me powers and others have taught me much. If your bastard of a father can teach you anything, it would be dishonor."

Jomon laughed louder, his forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth. "Save your curses for your dying moments fool." He charged Leman, who merely stood his ground and waited for the blow to come. When it did, Leman parried the incoming blow and drove his fist across the face of the monster, sickening breaking of teeth echoed in the air all around them. Jomon growled and swung his blades across his body, Leman parrying those that would have surely have struck his flesh. Leman charged forward, opening his left side to an incoming blow from the serpent man. Jomon took that blow and thrusted his blade through the chest of Leman.

Leman growled in pain as the bone blade ruptured from his body. He slammed his cackling blue fist into the side of the monster. With a ear-ripping clap, the monster was tossed aside, three tree trunks shattering under his weight. Leman withdrew the blade and tossed it aside. "Jomon, you forget my lineage." The serpent man rose from his crouched form and lept upon Leman. Jomon sank his fangs into Leman's right shoulder, causing the later to howl. Feeling his blood roll down his shoulder, Leman's world went burred with rage. He slashed his blade time and time again, his rage delivering powerful, yet uncoordinated blows.

Jomon laughed and dodged the blows but occasionally a few of them were to hit home. "Do you have any idea why I am here you bloody drunkard, or are you too obsessed with-" He didn't have a chance to finish that sentence before a pair of arms wrapped around his neck. Leman's world came back to him in a rush and he saw the prince Marth holding onto Jomon. The human wouldn't last long against such a beast, so Leman had to act fast. Raising his sword above his head, he drove the blade down through the head of the monster. Through the skull and the jaw, did the master of the north impaled the monster. Jomon howled in pain, but leman wasn't finished yet. He pulled the blade out of the skull his direction, tearing the skull into many pieces. With a quick side chop, what remained of the skull was severed and the Prince was showed in a geyser of red gore.

Marth let the body go and rushed over to Leman, who now cradled his bleeding shoulder. "I heard you scream and I came as fast as I could. Gods, you took quite the beating from that monster. What was that thing? It appeared to have known you." Leman grimaced and allowed the prince to apply wool bandages. Using his sword to support him, Leman rose and towered over the prince. Marth was shocked as always to see the size of this man.

"It was something that I knew from a long time ago. No need to be worried about it Marth." Leman lied between his teeth. The prince must have not noticed it and walked with Leman back to the mansion. Leman sighed heavily, his sweat cold, only growing colder with each passing moment. The temperature around them was dropping slowly, yet certainly. He only wodered what the morning was to bring.

* * *

Ulfric steadied his breathing and gestured for Link to strike at him once again. The Hylian agreed with enthusiasm and brought the master sword down over head. Ulfric brought up his own axe head and intercepted the blade. He grinned and pushed the Hylian back. "So the rumors are true about your sword arm."

"So are yours, High King." Link replied and paced in a circle around Ulfric, waiting for the signal to strike again. Ulfric raised his axe and charged forward towards the hero. Link raised his shield and readied his blade behind it. Link braced his legs moments before the form of Ulfric slammed into him. Link gritted his teeth and pushed his own weight against it. Ulfric brought his axe down and Link blocked each one. So was the exchange for quite a while, each one pitting their mettle of mind and strength against the other. Link found an advisory that was quite a challenge and Ulfric found an elf he could respect.

After a while, the two stopped and sheathed their weapons. "Ulfric, that was perhaps one of the best spars I have had in a long time. Thank you for that." Ulfric laughed and slammed an open hand on the shoulder of the Hero of Time in a comrade gesture. The two walked to a pair of chairs to rest their weary bones. "So, it would appear that Lithia was fairly beaten. I wonder if you knew anything about that." Ulfric smirked roguishly and Link chuckled. Ulfric shook his head, Zelda got what she wanted. He could scarcely blame her any less, Lithia had it coming.

He reached for a bottle of mead pulled the cork out of the top. The honeyed brew slid with ease down his throat. He passed Link a bottle and the Hylian accepted. As they drank, Ulfric noticed something. He could see his breath before him and he looked around. He could tell that they were not alone. Link noticed this as well. It was not the alcohol hazing their vision, after all, they had just started their first bottle. "When is it natural to see the flakes of winter's coming in the season of the high sun?" Ulfric asked Link. The Hero of Time shrugged and unsheathed his blade. They left the training hall and looked around.

Frost was growing all around them. On the walls and on the metal doors, the hearled of winter thrived. Link looked out the window and pointed in shock. Outside, fat snowflakes danced around upon a cool wind. "By all that is holy, what is happening?" Link asked.

"I think I can answer that." Tobey spoke up, carrying an old leather tome beneath his arm. His shades were in his coat pocket and a grim face was set across his features.

* * *

The Mead hall was alive with the sounds of celebration, as they were each and every day. A young woman, blond and dressed in full plate armor walked through the parting sea of men. Each of them knew the strength and power she held. None were willing to cross her. She was a chooser of the fallen, and though her purpose was related to the battlefields, she was a constant sight here. This time, she was here for something else. Walking forward, she stopped behind a man dressed in a worn brown cloak. He appeared to be nursing ale he would never drink.

Unlike many who came into these walls, this one was unhappy that he made it here. He wished to leave, and though it sometime subsided, the thought was always there. "You come for me again?" The man asked without turning around or raising his voice. He turned to her with brown eyes lined with age. The young blond woman smiled on half of her face. She gestured for him to come with her. Like a reluctant dog, the man rose from his place on the bench and followed the woman. She lead him past the sea of hammered brawlers. The ale was strong and limitless, each would have their fill. Some more then they can stand.

She opened a massive door, in which hundreds of men could walk through shoulder to shoulder. The man followed her and was soon in the presence of two powerful men. Each of them were figures of legend, and even he was forced by instinct to fall on a knee. The older one wore a helmet with one side covered to shield a wounded eye, a self inflicted injury. The second one stood with long flowing blond hair and a hammer in his hands. "Rise, warrior of myth." The man did so and looked into the eyes of these massive warriors who's handmaidens encircled him. "You have often voiced your objections to the reason why you have found yourself here. You must know the rarity of what we are to do here. No one has left these walls as a fallen. You will be the first and perhaps the last."

The man in the cloak could scarcely believe his luck and he felt the handmaidens remove his cloak and clothing. He was left stripped to his under garments. He then felt massive pieces of armor strapped to his frame. "But you are not to return to the land you once knew. Something has happened in there and you need to do." The younger ne walked forward with his hands clenched around a weapon wrapped in a cloth. "Our enemies of frost and fire have made their move, and my son is placed at risk. I know there is someone there to you cares about there. I would lead this battle myself, but I would best not tempt my age old enemy to play his full hand. The place is a loss; you will not be able to turn back the tide." He unwrapped the weapon and revealed a master crafted axe. "That doesn't mean you can make a few heads roll before such a thing was to pass. Get as many as you can out of there, the forces are too strong for this moment. Only later will we be able to achieve such a stunt as to undermine their progress."

Once the final pieces of armor was attached to his frame, the man took the axe as if his life was given purpose once again. "I will do as you ask." He bowed his head and soon the massive door opened once again. A bridge man stood aside, making it clear that he was willing to pass. With a deep breath, the warrior reborn walked down the multi-colored bridge, ready to meet a new foe.

* * *

"Are you certain of this?" Ulfric asked Tobey, who nodded.

"The old tome said exactly. We are waist deep in some serious derrek." The elf spoke in a quick and hushed tone. Ulfric and Link listened with dread spread across their features. "No we need to get everyone ready because-" He was cut off by a low and sinister growling. Slowly, Tobey turned around and was gazing into the baleful red glowing eyes of a wolf made of ice. Tobey reacted by instinct and pulled his assault rifle from his belt and fired of a hip burst. He watched in horror as those bullets hit the ice wolf and they only regenerated. "Well… shit."

The wolf howled an earsplitting howl, causing the three to cover their ears. The wolf leapt into the air, fangs of crystal grinning and ready for battle. A yell and the explosion of flame sent the wolf crashing don to the ground. A golden blade impaled the fallen form, causing a death howl to escape the muzzle of the wolf. The three looked to an exhausted Zelda and an Ike with a grimaced face. "What the hell was that?" Ike asked as the wolf melted before his feet.

Similar howls were echoing around them. "The first of many." Link said and watched as a figure appeared before them, dressed in the colors of red and black.

* * *

**Well, that was an eventful chapter with several new elements. Tell me what you think about it. **

**Flame Falcon**


	6. First of Many Falls

**Sorry for the long wait, life really caught up with me. I hope this is worth the wait. As always, read and review. **

* * *

Leman grimaced as he tied off the bandages around his shoulder. That was a nasty wound he was given, and he breathed thanks to luck that it wasn't the father he had fought. If he was bitten by him, he would not last nine steps from the carcass. Marth was next to him, along with his tagalong better known as princess Peach. The two helped him apply medical gauze and occasionally pain killer was injected into him. "So Leman, what exactly in heaven's name was that thing you fought?" Peach asked him.

Leman growled under his breath, almost exactly like a wolf would growl at one threatening his territory. "Jomon, son of my father's sworn enemy. Born into the flesh of man, yet he holds unto his ancestry of his father with skin and instinct." He flinched as the pain from the bite flared across his body once more. "I have faced several monsters like him, and they can never truly die. What I did merely sent him back to where he came from." He gestured towards his sword, which Marth held for him. "That sword is a good piece of metal, yet not the needed thing to destroy them. My father's weapon is needed for that."

Peach nodded and then shook. She clutched her arms together, "Who turned the air conditioner to Artic ice storm?" She wondered aloud and then Leman noticed as well. It was getting colder, but he couldn't hear the air conditioner running. His eyebrows furried and his unwounded arm instinctively reached out for his sword, which Marth handed to him. Rising from his seat Leman recognized this cold and growled like the wolf inside of him. "Leman, is something wrong ?" Peach asked as Leman opened the door from the operating room.

When he stepped out he could feel the cold batter against his skin. "Very." He whispered under his breath, which became visible before him. The wind was howling outside and the sound of thunder came from there as well. He gripped his sword tighter and looked around him. Indeed, something was very wrong here. Another pair of smashers by the name of Solid Snake and Samus came next to him. Both were caught off guard by the intense cold.

"What the hell kind of weather is this, a snow thunderstorm in the middle of June?" Snake asked in discuss. "Does this always happen when the Hands leave for somewhere?" He asked Samus, who merely shrugged her slender shoulders, or the best she could with the restrictive power armor on her.

"That isn't the sound of thunder Snake." Leman grimaced as the approaching booming suddenly stopped. "That is the footsteps of a frost giant." No sooner had those words left his mouth then a section of the wall was bashed in by a massive iron club. A being made of pure ice with pulsing veins of blue ethereal energies walked into the gap. The giant was a massive monster, almost fifteen feet in height. Leman leveled his sword across his chest and murmured a curse in a forgotten language. "Fall you bastard." Leman said evenly and charged the monster.

The giant laughed and swung his club ruthlessly at Leman, who easily dodged the blow. There was the sound of a bullet being chambered followed by the distinct bang of a Glock 17. Leman ducked and allowed the searing hot lead fly past him from Solid Snake's side arm. The rounds struck home, and while they were powerful they were not enough to cause more than a curse to escape the mouth of the giant. Samus began to charge a blast from her hand cannon but the Giant struck out again, catching Leman off guard and causing air to escape his lungs. Slamming harshly into the wall, Leman rose in an instant and the blast from Samus' hand cannon slammed into the giant, searing flesh as well as bone. Leman's eyes were cackling it an energy that had not been there before. He held out the tip of his sword and pointed at the chest of the giant. Intoning an old phrase in a language dead but to him, the deafening clap of thunder became audible and a bolt of lightning struck his blade.

The giant looked into the eyes of Leman and swore audibly. "It can't be."

"Yet it is." Leman responded evenly and tossed his blade, impaling the heart of the monster. The lightning stored up in the blade released, incinerating the giant into a pile of ash. The smashers had to shield their eyes from the intense flash of light, but Leman looked on, not turning his gaze away from it. When they looked again, Leman had changed. Where skin was once revealed finely crafted plate armor and bulging muscles beneath a monstrous fur cloak. His flowing blond hair remained the same, but his eyes had changed to an energy-filled blue. He walked over to the pile of ash and retrieved his blade. In the distance he heard a roar, a howl and a hiss. "We need to leave. Now."

They moved in a fast pace moving through the hallways now coated thickly with the crystal of frost. They all wanted to stop and ask Leman questions, who was he, what was her, what were those and what the hell was that were among those that they wanted to ask. However, the situation at the present time demanded a different course of action. Said action was getting the hell out of the way of the giants. A sound of a shotgun blast directed their attention to that direction. They moved and saw another group of smashers standing before a man in red and black. The man noticed Leman and laughed. "Of all the people I expected to see, you were exactly the one I hoped to meet. I see Jomon has already introduced himself to you. Please excuse his father's absence, he is on his way as we speak." Leman dropped into an aggressive defense stance and the figure laughed even harder. "Do you really think that you can beat me? Your drunkard of a father mistook a hairless bitch for a perfect mate-"

"ENOUGH!" Leman bellowed with a loud voice that in itself was like thunder. "DIE, DIE , DIE!" Leman leapt forward as if he had wings and slammed his blade into the figure that dodged it easily. Leman lashed out again and again, but each of his attacks was parried one after the other. "You will not speak of her that way! You pile disgust on top of insult traitor, how could my grandfather ever trust trash such as you?"

"Wonder instead of how we could have trusted him instead." Those words struck Leman in such a way that no moral blow could have. The figure took advantage of the pause and snapped his fingers. The wind picked up harshly and the other smashers dug their heels in and Leman held his ground. From the wind formed a spear made of eternal ice and the figure pointed the spear at Leman. "You will know pain and suffering as I have." He was looking at Ike when he said those words.

A high pitch scream erupted from Zelda's mouth as a second spear impaled her from nowhere. Ike turned to the figure with a bestial cry, but watched as the figure disappeared with princess in tow. Ike swore and slashed at the open air. He then turned to Leman and wrapped his spare hand around the throat of Leman. "What the hell was that? Why did he have to go after her instead of you? You attacked him, not her!"

"She was a sorceress!" Leman shot back at Ike. Ike let go of his throat but was still fuming up a storm. "She posed the greatest threat to him and he neutralized it." Another massive crash erupted from the ceiling and another giant entered the room. This one was much larger then the others and wield a massive double edged axe. Leman looked into the eyes of the giant and looked back to the others. "Get who ever isn't captured by the madman. I will handle this." Many of them, most notably Ike, looked as if they were about to argue with him, but the look in Leman's eyes told them that it was best not to ask. As they turned to gather to they could, Leman tuned back to the giant. "Thrym, I knew our paths would cross again." The Giant laughed and raised his axe for a swing. Leman did the same with his sword.

* * *

Tobey ran down the hall, his heart threatened to beat out of his chest. He had never come across something like this. Even his adventures in Seattle combined held no candle to this. At least with the bugs he had backup he could trust on. He would promise a multitude of oaths in exchange for Gallowglass, or El Duce, or anyone! Now, he had to force those thoughts from his mind and focus on one thing: finding Lucas. He felt a protection over the little tyke and he was sure as hell not going to leave him here.

He sprinted with the agility gifted to him as an elf. He chambered his assault shotgun with dragon breath rounds. These were made from powdered bones from a red dragon, thus setting anything in its way in a coating of ethereal fire. He had ran into several things like that which they faced, and those shells proved themselves time and time again. The frost grew around them at a much greater pace then what could naturally happen. Tobey mused to himself that very little he encountered was natural.

The cold was getting through his duster, and he tightened his rawhide gloves. This was nothing he had ever faced. He tried to recall his vision, now he was armed with the knowledge the tomes gave to him. He walked down the encrusted hallway, murmuring the words of his vision over and over again. It was an old language from the north the accents told him. He spoke it as if saying thousands of times would give him a vision of what would come. The response e got was a purring voice. "So, it appeared you could read the tome?"

He turned to the voice and saw Lucas with a knife around his throat. Holding it was a smasher, one that caused Tobey to chamber the next shell in his shot gun and aimed him. "Ness, you might want to rethink your actions. I am not intimidated on pulling the trigger." The black haired psychic user laughed, and Tobey noticed something about it. There were two acute holes on the back of his arm that pulsed a rich green. Shaman and wizard both, Tobey could tell of enthralling spells tell tale signs. This was one from a much more natural, not arcane, construct.

The spell was called "_Release"_ and it was a powerful one indeed. The shaman would use this ritual to allow the target to release his anger, rage or any other emotion and allow it to be used to his whim. Some used it to eliminate enemies, others to have pleasure done unto him. Of all the totems, those that followed the snake used this spell the most then any other totem. The problem was that there was no way to interrupt the spell. Once it was cast, the only way to get rid of it was time, something Tobey never had in situations such as this. Lucas looked into Tobey's eyes and begged Tobey two things. One was to save him from almost certain death and the other was not to harm Ness. Tobey mentally groaned and agreed to both of them. He lowered his shotgun and tossed it aside, and almost instantly it became encased it a fine layer of frost. "Now your staff Wizard."

Tobey reached for his staff slowly and carefully. He mentally intoned the proper rites for wielding the powers within the mistletoe staff. He slammed the end of it into the crusted ice and the runes flared bright orange. A shock wave of fire erupted from his staff and it sent the two tykes tumbling to the ground. Tobey reached out and grabbed Lucas by the ankle. The kid weighed slightly more than he expected, but Tobey pulled him away none of the less. He heard a spell being cased in his direction and Tobey raided his staff to block the incoming fire spell. Ness was more then a gifted spell slinger, in fact he might have given Gallowsglass a run for his credstick. "Tobey, what is going on?" Lucas asked, his anxiety flaring up in his chest. His best friend had tried to slit his throat and it was a walk in freezer in here.

"I have no fracking idea, Lucas." Tobey said as he used his rune engraved staff to block yet another incoming spell from Ness. Tobey muttered at least three different oaths and began to dash with Lucas in tow. Stooping in his run, Tobey reacquainted himself with his automatic shotgun. He instinctively wished to drop the subzero metal barrel of the gun, so he clasped the wooden pump and turned the corner just in time to avoid a blast of magic from colliding with his skull.

* * *

Ulfric wasn't having much better luck either. In his tow were the two Ice Climbers, Popo and Nana. With him was Link and Ike and all five of them were using cover from a clearly deranged Mario and Luigi. Luck was with them, or else they would have lost their heads… literally. The sound of constant energy blast being fired off from the energy pistols that seemed to have limitless range were fired off in a ceaseless precession of blasts. "Blood of Talos." Ulfric swore under his breath, his axe at the ready if they needed to charge the position. Link notched an arrow on his bow string but could not have a proper aim for if he stuck his head out even an inch, a blast would come his direction.

Ike sheltered the two little ones with his own body, though the rage he emanated could almost be smelled by the others. His world became red when Zelda was taken away from him, not more than minutes after they professed their love for each other. While they didn't go too inmate to the act, it was done so. However, they needed to regroup with Leman, who was most assuredly fighting with that other frost giant. Ike needed to clear his head and soon. The insane laughter from the two brother plumbers was psychological warfare. It was also beginning to take the toll on them. Phrases like "Ready or not, here we come." and "Peek-a-boo, I see you." was beginning to become unnerving.

Ike looked over to Ulfric, rather the moonsilver pendent that hung from his neck. An idea formed in his head. "Ulfric, give me your pendent!" Ike yelled over the gunfire. Ulfric hesitated slightly and with good reason. The pendent was a gift to him from the wife of the Dragonborn Sigmund, Alyssa Fell-Handed, gifted to him at the end of the war as a show of her appreciation. It was forged y her hand, who in her own right should forge weapons for the gods themselves. It was the symbol of the Stormcloak Bear with words of power inscribed onto it, allowing him to focus his shouts. Regardless, Ulfric took the pendent from his neck and threw it to Ike, who caught it with one hand.

He pulled a knife from Link's belt and ordered Popo to spit out his gum. The tyke did so hesitantly and Ike placed the gum on the tip of the knife. He then planted the pendent front first onto the gum. Using the polished metal as a crude mirror, Ike saw the position of the influenced brothers. "Link fire one of your arrows at nine, the other at one." Ike called the shots. The Hylian archer did as he was told and aimed his bow at the raters as he was instructed to do so. The first arrow ricochet off the walls and sliced some rope, causing one of the many chandeliers to fall on the head of Luigi. The second one didn't do any damage to the plumber in red, but it provided enough distraction to allow Ulfric to rie from cover. He shouted three words of power, on the last one did he send Mario flying.

The group rose from cover, Link picked up one of the energy pistols without braking his stride. They dashed behind the next few walls and eventually ran into Tobey with Lucas. "What took you so long?" Tobey asked under his breath.

"We ran into some friends." Link replied and the group of seven moved as one. The temperature was getting low, almost ten below and continuing to drop by the minute. Ulfric, Tobey, and the Ice Climbers were prepared for this, the not mentioned were not. Eventually they reached the main hallway, only a few dozen yards from where they were to regroup with Leman. The second the Ice Climbers mentioned that they were in the clear, did another challenger step in their way. Lithia, armed with plate armor and a massive spear that sung lethality in her hands. "I will not allow you to escape such a wonderful event." She twirled her spear with an unnatural grace that was night and day from when Ike met her only a few days ago.

Ulfric scoffed, "The odds do not appear to be in your misguided favor. Seven against one, few could consider that odds for a victory, even on the smallest of margins." The High King however, didn't make any sudden movements. That wasn't a laughing boast; it was a statement of fact. Lithia charged forward and thrusted her spear forward, gashing out flesh from Link's right side. The Hylian swore loudly and slashed his blade out, though Lithia dodged it with ease. She spun the spear around in such speed that it deflected Tobey's scatter shot his shotgun used .

"What is she?" Ike asked audibly and waited for her to strike out at him. He didn't have to wait long and soon the spear was coming at him. He countered her attack but could not land a felling blow, or any blow for that matter. Within seconds he felt the spear bite into his skin, and he grunted in pain. She yelled words in the old tongue she spoke once before all of the others were sent to their feet with chains of ice enveloping them all, restricting their movements to a stop. He then felt himself pinned against the wall by her massive spear and he looked into her eyes. They were full of pity and anger.

"You should have picked me. Not that whore."She twisted the spear around in his lower chest, damaging critical organs and other vital parts to his body. This caused much of his crimson life force to spill from his wound in great and vast quantities. A howl caused her to look away and two figures, one of them Leman the other one a cloaked figure with a massive battleaxe charged at her. Soon all Ike saw was black shortly afterwards.

Leman slammed his sword into her, his body shattered in many ways but he could still fight. The stranger next to him, from which he had seen several times at the mead halls fought alongside him like a hero reborn. In many ways that was true. "Away from him Lithia! What madness has come over you?" Leman asked as he readied his sword again. The older man turned his attention towards Ike, cradling the heavily wounded body. Lithia struck out at him again and again. Each time Leman parried her blows, "What if your father could see you now? How disgusted he would be?"

That caused her to pause giving her moments to think. "I swear oaths of fealty to no one. Not one of your kin will command me. I will destroy you, my father, and all others who stand in my way. My love will succeed in his endover-" That was as far as she got before the almost comical sound of a frying pan connecting with someone's head became audible. Lithia slumped over unconscious and a princess dressed in pink stood over her with a frying pan. As she slumped to the ground, the chains of ice dissipated from those that were restrained Leman couldn't help but laugh.

"Now I understand why Marth is afraid of being on your bad side." The mood lightened for only a second with the arrival of the last few sane, surprisingly it was only Marth, Peach, Samus, Snake and Ganondorf. They directed their attention back to Ike and the cloaked man who had came to save them.

"He will die if we cannot get him back to the Hall." The man's voice was cracking with… fear and emotion. Leman cocked an eye brow and soon knew why. This place was lost, and if they didn't leave, who knew what else would come for them. Leman slit his hand open and dabbed the blood on to the parchment white walls. He carved three runes that he, Lithia, and perhaps the old man would know. They read Eternal, Rainbow, and Bridge. A crack of red lightning opened up a rift. Beyond it there was endless black and a rainbow bridge.

"What are you? A blood crazed hobbit with a pot of blood money at the end of this?" Snake shot out sarcasticly.

Leman turned to them. "You can come with me and you will be safe. Or you can stay here and you will die at best, be exploited at worst." Nobody moved for a second, the tension was so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. Soon Samus stepped through, followed by the old man with Ike. The rest slowly moved and as Leman was the last to step through, the rift closed behind them. The blood soon dissipated from the walls shortly after the fact.

* * *

In the main hall of the Mansion the man in red and black reclined in a chair, his boots placed up on the table. An conscious Zelda was not far from him, gagged with a silver cloth and shackled in magic-nullifying chains. Her eyes were wide with fear as she watched some Smashers just walk around, obeying their every command. The man in red and black turned to her. "Why are you so afraid? There is no reason to be."

Two pairs of thundering footsteps herald the arrival of the guests. One was a giant with some bleeding injuries from his spar with Leman. Frost glistened from his hide and his axe was coated in blood, both his as well as his foe. The one next to him had crackling fire for hair and eyebrows. From his side was a massive blade likewise coated in flame. The two were opposites, fire to frost, and water to flame. Yet their goals were similar. "Loki, we have mastered our armies and while taking this blasted piece of ground." The one of fire spoke. "This had better be worth it."

The one known as Loki nodded, "Yes it is, calm down Surtur. The cost may have been great, but it was worth it. He rose from his seat and cupped Zelda's face in his chin. "This little elf will be worth if all. Of that you can rest assured on. Oh, and tell Jormungard he will not be able to feast on Leman's flesh. He slipped our grasp." He looked directly into Zelda's eyes and smirked.

"But not for long." He purred as he kissed her cheek. Giants of Frost and Fire laughed, which echoed through the occupied mansion. Off in the distance, three figures stood miles away in the new blasted winter wasteland.


	7. Meetings, Pasts, and Plans

Tobey prayed to all that was sacred that this bridge would support them. He had seen some odd things in his lifetime. He had seen the Second Ghost Dance by the spirits, immortal souls of insects, and even the start of genetic engineered super mages. But walking on a bridge made of a rainbow took the bloody cake! He helped support Leman, who toted multiple gashes in his body, many of them would appear to be fatal. This was one tough son of a bitch, not even trolls could survive such wounds. Ike however, was walking the line where he could be off to join his ancestors at any moment. Tobey tried to heal him, but the poison on the blade prevented his magic to be of any use. It was a very strong poison, greater than anything the corporations could haul out.

Lucas was next to him all the while, looking out with awe at the space around them. Stars shined brightly and galaxies spun at a glacier rate. It was a breathtaking sight, more so then the Final Destination stage they used for brawls. Ganondorf walked not far behind the rest, likewise taking in the entire sight. Marth and the stranger helped carry Ike. His wounds had not stopped bleeding and his pulse was getting gradually weaker. Whatever was at the end of this rainbow had best make itself known. He wasn't to particularly fond of going on the limb, even when necessary.

"Look!" Link pointed out, his Hylian eyesight aiding him. "Someone up ahead." He squinted again and tried to get a better image. "It looks as if he is standing watch at the end." The pace of the group picked up a decent amount. Leman rushed ahead to the front ahead of them. It was evident that his wounds were holding him back slightly. He had a limp in his stride and light crimson droplets of fell in rapid precession in his way. How he managed to survive them were a testament to his enhanced endurance. Apparently, he was something more than just a human.

Leman approached the massive man who stood in his way. The man was far older then Leman was, though it was not shown upon his skin. Where Leman's beard was thick and with yellow braids, the guard had a short, yet puffy dark hazel beard. A massive sword the size of a claymore was held in one hand, glowing an ethereal blue. From the side of the watcher was a twisted ram's horn, stained yellow with the weight of ages upon its bone. "Leman." The guardian said to him. "You have been missed from the halls. Coming back so early with wounded is never a good sign."

Leman bowed his head in respect to his elder. "Indeed. All is not well. I have a wounded comrade who is ready to join our hall if he is not given our fruit. Something has happened and we must gather." The guardian smiled weakly and murmured something under his breath about Leman was more like his father then he ever knew. He raised his horn to his lips and an earsplitting blow echoed through the space. Many of the smashers instinctively planted their hands against their ears to shield their eardrums from the massive noise. It was a long and low note that carried itself.

When the note began to echo, a mystical fog began to part. Leman walked through the fog and the others, with hesitance evident in their strides. When they did step through the fog, they gasped involuntarily. What could only describe the land was majestic, and that was an understatement. Mountains grew as high as the eye could see, but the rolling highlands beneath them were almost pure green. The crisp, cool mountain air brought relief to their tired lungs. Of all the smashers, second to Leman of course, Ulfric felt the greatest sense of peace from this landscape.

Almost as if on cue, three figures appeared as if from nowhere. One was an aged one eyed warrior, a pair of ravens on his shoulder. In his hands he held a massive spear which radiated energy untold. He appeared to be the oldest and perhaps the leader of the group. He was, in every sense, a jarl according to Ulfric's deductions. Strong, more than likely wise and a faint glow of magical energies were hidden beneath the surface of his skin. He had a long snow white beard and impossibly thick with muscle. There was a faint amount of comparison between him and Leman, but not too much.

Next to him stood a man who bearded a striking resemblance to Leman, clearly they were related in one way or the other. The blond hair was of an identical color and the muscle build was almost a mirror copy of them. From his side was a massive hammer, like a blacksmithing hammer but far more ornate and seemed to cast a slight glow over all it had. Peach felt herself being attracted to the well toned build, causing a fraction of a scowl to pass upon Marth's face. Ganondorf smiled slightly, only to get slugged by Marth on the shoulder for such a thing.

The last one was a young maiden. One with such beauty that all of the male smashers had to bite their tongues, lest they were to fall out of their mouths. She bore a small wicker basket that seemed to be carrying something. She was dressed in simple, yet elegant handspun robes. They were of earthy shades of tans and browns, humble colors yet she did them justice. Tobey cursed himself inwardly; something was familiar about these characters. Yet he couldn't lay an exact finger at it. Several of the other Smashers felt the same, though their questions were soon to be answered.

The identical, save slightly older, version of Leman walked forward and the two embraced each other. "Leman! I scarcely thought you would be back so soon." He had a voice truly like thunder, and it carried it's own weight through the open air. His gaze turned to a heavily bleeding Ike and he spoke quickly to the young maiden who nodded and approached Ike. She knelt down to him and opened the basket. Inside the basket was one bright red apple. The smashers, save Leman, were momentarily confused. How exactly an apple was to save Ike's life was beyond them. The maiden took a knife and carved a slice out of the apple and placed it in his mouth. Closing his jaw, she waited a few moments. Almost instantly, Ike's wounds were healing. While it was not sealing off the wounds entirely, the bleeding stopped. Ike's skin also began to tighten across his body, as if time itself was being reversed. This made them all exhale a breath they had unknowingly been holding.

The older, one eyed man spoke. His wisdom was evident in his words. "It would appear that my grandson's habit of finding trouble never leaves him. But I feel that you are in need of introductions. My name is Odin. I think you may have heard of me." The old man smiled as faces that preceded a dope smack flew across everyone's face. How could they have been so blind? "This is my son Thor and his son, Leman, who you already know of. This young lass is known as Idun."

Tobey shook his head. He of all should have recognized them. He came from a world where myths were real things and this should have been no exceptions. He looked around himself, taking in the whole scene. So this is where the Viking warlords believed their souls would go in the end times. He was the first of the smashers to speak. "Milords and lady." He offered a slight bow to them and continued. "A wave of reckoning has come across our neck of the woods. I have a feeling that you may be affected by it sooner or later. It was with giants and a man dressed in red and black."

Thor nodded, "I feared as much. My son is more like me then I expected so." He slugged Leman on the shoulder in a fatherly gesture. "I will make sure your wounded comrade will be safe as he heals. Our apples of eternal youth could heal him entirely. But if we were to give him too much, time may have been reversed too far. Father, will you gather the others to assess the situation?" When Odin nodded, Thor turned to Leman. "Leman, would you please direct your accomplices to their housings for the time being? The long house will do."

"It will be done my father." Leman bowed despite his injuries, in which he was passed another apple by Idun. The gods took their leave and Leman turned back to the other smashers. Needless to say, he received some hard glances. He shook his head and the smashers followed him up a sloped mountain pass. "You won't get any answers if you remain tight lipped about it. If you want to ask me something, you had best do it now."

Ganondorf, the tallest and as such the wan closest to Leman asked. "Why did you hide your ancestry from us? You posed as something that you weren't, and that doesn't speak highly of yourself."

Leman sighed and replied. "How would that have sounded? 'By the way, may father is the god of thunder. I hope that it isn't a problem.' I have no remorse for deceiving you. It was for your own survival that I did such a thing. To have my name spoken into the air in such a way like that would have placed you all in harm's way. I am more like my father, looking out for humanity and the other mortals with a humble pride. It wouldn't have been soon after then those whom attacked the Mansion would have caught word of it. That was a risk I would not have gambled on."

Ulfric was the next to raise his voice. "What were those things that attacked us? They were unlike anything from my homeland of Skyrim."

Leman nodded, "That they should be. They were frost and fire giants. Their names I hope should be self explanatory. But their leaders, Surtur for the fire giants and Thrym for the frost, are monsters to be reckoned with. The bastard who took Zelda was one of ours. You know him as Loki. He himself has associated himself on multiple occasions with the giants and has never been on good speaking terms with us. "Leman's face curled into a scowl as he felt the urge to spit. Loki had so much potential, but in the end he had chosen the wrong side to throw his lot in with. There was noting more to say, or at the least on what Leman would say about Loki or any of the giants. He felt something tug at his leg and he looked down. He saw Nana not far behind him, arms outstretched. Stooping while he walked, he picked her up and placed her on his shoulders.

She asked him a question then. "Why did the bad men take Zelda away? Why didn't they take me or you?"

Leman shrugged carefully. "It was because she is a very powerful sorceress. The giants are not tuned into the arts of the arcane. What sorcerers they have a few in number as is their power. Like Tobey, they are more apt for bending the elements to their will. All that is good will shutter at what they could do with such an accomplished mage at their side."

They reached the top of the after a while of silence. The long house was as it said on the label. Made of planks of thick oak, the house was long he it had some depth. Two massive doors were at the front and Leman pushed them open in no time. The interior was grand, despite the humble outside. The pelts of many animals; deer, bears, wolves, and other monstrous creatures acted as rugs while a massive fire burned in the center of the long house. Weapons of old adorned the walls and the pillars themselves were made out of the shafts of spears. A massive table with a feast was set before them. Leman gestured them in. "Relax while you can. Our conclave will meet within a few hours, from there we will make our battle plans."

Leman took his leave and almost every one made their way to the chars, just to sit down and contemplate on all what has happened . Each of them thought of different things. Marth was still shaken about that he almost lost one of his oldest and most trusted friends, and Peach was still shuttering on what was happening to Zelda. Snake and Samus were just glad to be alive. Lucas wondered what was next, and was this what the elements told him about. The twin Ice Climbers were just plain shaken. Ulfric thought about his homeland and was this going to turn toward it. Link's emotions were centered around hatred against the giants and whoever else was with them. Tobey tried to find that inner sense of calm and tranquility he had on many occasions, but he could not seem to find it.

Ganondorf broke the silence. "After all these years, there really is something out there that can turn our worlds upside down in a matter of hours. I thought that threatening the future of Hyrule was my job." It was a weak joke, but a few gave a laugh. Tobey nodded and pulled out his revolver to begin on cleaning it. It was one of the things that allowed him to clear his mind. Snake followed in suit and some of the others began to do something to vent their frustrations. Link began to sharpen his blades, the constant _shhick, shihick_ of his whet stone running over his blades was pleasing to his ears with the bloodlust running through his veins. Samus massaged her temples, a sudden headache suddenly forming on her. The younger ones decided to look around the long house to clear their heads, peach decided to go along with them, partially to clear her own head and to be sure that the kids didn't play with anything sharp.

Tobey finished his revolver and looked at in the fire. "Link, why did you let Zelda go?" Link looked over his sword for Tobey to elaborate the question. "Well, I have heard some things through the mansion, and I was wondering… did she just ditch you or vice versa? Or were you just and abusive asshole?" The reaction was what was expected. Link leapt over the flame, his Master Sword in his hands. Tobey raised his staff and parried the blow. Tobey quickly holstered his revolver and focused on defending himself with his staff. Tobey needed this, he could smell the anger radiating from Link. If he didn't get it out of him, it would leave him bitter and resentful.

Marth looked over to Ulfric, who was only smiling. "Should we separate that two?"

Ulfric shook his head. "Let them fight this out. Both need to blow some steam off so it would be best taken out at each other during this interlude rather than when our lieges come for their meeting." The seated watched as the Hylian battled it out with Tobey, each one of them never giving in. Tobey was always parrying all the blows that came towards him. Link slashed out with blade and shield, landing many blows against Tobey and his own magic was used as a shield.

Link threw and punch and slammed it into Tobey's face, sending his shades flying and Tobey falling down to the ground. "What about yours? Link shot back with some malice. He wasn't referring to Cherry Bomb, Link would never stoop that low, Tobey thought. "How do you know she isn't sleeping behind your back with your dead friend?" Tobey exhaled sharply and looked back to link. Unlike his standard emerald energies that bleed under his veins, dark crimson with hues of violet now took its place. Link was caught off guard and was soon sent sprawling by a bash across the jaw line with a staff blow. It soon was quite clear that Link said something that made Tobey loose his self control.

Tobey rose from the prone position he was and stood over Link. He looked down unto Link and snarled. Dark black energies bled from his fingers and they draped themselves over Link. "You have best apologize for your words. Or perhaps you would like it if I introduce you to the feeling of your skin being ripped from your flesh?" Marth got between them and placed Tobey's shades back on him. Tobey convulsed and stumbled back. He tripped over his own feet and pulled himself away from everyone. Weeping slightly. Link's senses pulled back into him and he suddenly felt terrible. The other smashers looked at him, most importantly was Lucas with a look that said 'what the hell did you do to him?' Lucas walked past Link, though not after giving him a hard smack over the head, over towards Tobey. All were surprised that the hardened shadowrunner was traumatized by what some would take as a very hash insult. Apparently there was something more to this elf then running the shadows.

But it also became very apparent that there was something else that Tobey was hiding from them. Runes and symbols on the sunglasses were pulsing colors, and it soon became apparent that the elf required these sunglasses for more than the standard reason he gave Lucas. "Sam Watts." Tobey said the name and for a moment it looked as if he was about to break down again. He gathered some courage and confidence to tell his tale with the others around him. "He was a good friend of mine, my mentor actually when I first got into the shadowrun business. We fought our way through several jobs, until a botched job on the waterfront where we were the only survivors. I said this was the only life I knew so I was to stay in the business and he decided that it was time for him to leave the life. He told me that it was more than likely that he would wind up in a gutter dead"

He chuckled despite the attitude he had a few minutes before. "It was until a few months ago that I heard from him again. He activated his dead man's switch, telling me that if I found the one who killed him, hundred grand would end up into my credstick. I headed to the Seattle to find his killer…" He stopped, looking for the best way to paraphrase it. It was more likely then not that if he continued on his story, he would break down again. "… Long and the short of it I found out his killer. He was killed by his sister who ordered an assassin to come after him to gather his organ her dead mother gave him so she could be buried in one piece. I followed her to bring justice, but I found something else." Tobey shuttered as he conjured the memories. "Those events left something capped into me." He rolled up his sleeve and revealed a intrinsic runic scars and tattoos. "One last curse from those bastards. My emotions are massive compared to that of a normal person. So powerful that they take over my ability of control from time to time just as it had done just recently."

He shook his head and rubbed his glasses, reassuring him that they were still there. "These were crafted to keep my emotions in line. The runes keep them from overpowering and sending me out of control. If I can prolong a peace of mind long enough, I can go on for a while without them. But when they aren't, this piece of the arcane will help me." Tobey exhaled sharply and hugged his knees close to his body. Lucas looked at Tobey in wonder, realizing they had more in common then he first realized. He laid a friendly hand on Tobey's back and Tobey cleared his watery eyes. "Sorry about that, I can't control myself when this happens."

Link slugged him on the shoulder. "Save your breath, it should be me that should be apologizing for my actions. I understand what you were doing and I would have done the same. Unfortunately, my own rage took control of my word choice. It was wrong of me to use that against you, but the same could be said about your own." Tobey was forced to admit such a thing.

The smashers drifted away from him to pass the time in some other ways. Ulfric practiced with his battle axe against the training dummy at the far north corner of the building. Link and Marth practiced sword play with each other, while Samus and Solid Snake disappeared off somewhere but nobody was unsure of what exactly they were going to do. Ganondorf decided to pass the time mixing elixirs and other potent fuels of the arcane. Peach tried to find something to do while Lucas along with the Ice Climbers stayed with Tobey, helping him regain some of his lost inner calm. Whatever they did, it did pass time.

The door opened and many massive figures came into the long house. Odin and Thor led the way and several other gods. Many recognized some of the major figures of Nordic legend, some more so then others. Tyr, the god of battle and justice strode forth, a stump where his hand once was covered with coils of a golden metal and a sharpened one handed blade was grasped in the other. Another god Balder, the god known for his charisma, walked in. Tobey passed out pair of darkening shades to Peach, Samus and Nana. The god's affect on women was widely known, even in cases of them throwing themselves to his feet in adulation. Sometimes a physical means of preventing an arcane one was all that was needed. Few lesser known gods came through the doors. Frey, god of sunshine and the elves along with Modi came through the door, the latter radiated berserker rage and courage. Magni, god of strength and another son of Thor came with Leman. Forseti was Odin's voice of reason in the most trying of times, and along with him came Vidar, the ever silent god.

The goddesses were not far behind, though they were fewer in number. The most notable one was Frigga, wife of Odin. She was followed by two other goddesses Freya, goddess of love and fertility and Sif, the goddess of young aspiring warriors. The gods took seats around the fire, just enough for everyone to take a seat. The smashers sat on one side with Leman and Vidar flanking them. The gods and goddesses took their own seats on the other side. Odin spoke his voice of authority carrying with it. "Everyone is here, let us begin. Troubling times have come before us, and it will not be long before Loki and his damned accomplices will bring whatever they have to us. Leman, will you tell us what events have come to pass?"

Leman rose from his seat and spoke in a cool as well as calm voice, taking many by surprise. It remained as calm, though it broke at certain parts. He was talking about the battle against the leader of the frost giant when Freya spoke up. "Leman, what of Lithia? What has happened to her?" The resemblances began to show themselves between Lithia and Freya. The eyes, their face build and the long flowing blond hair. Tobey bit back a curse in the elven tongue.

Leman turned to her with a face set in grim stone. "She fought against us. Weather it was willfully or under someone's control, I do not know. Your daughter has become lost to us." He finished just before she began to wail, the relationship between the two became known. Leman finished his story and sat down. Placing her face in the shoulder of her twin brother, Frey, and wailed aloud.

Tyr growled and rose from his seat. "The fat of Lithia will be determined later, we have a much greater threat to deal with right now. Loki has in his fold a sorceress that has the ability to open a way o the rainbow bridge. The end times will come eventually, but I do not wish to see it for thousands of more years." The gathered gods and goddesses nodded. Link placed his hand over his lips and thought about it. While it was true that Zelda was very powerful, the power to face a demigod and open a portal into here was beyond her abilities alone. She would need several items to draw power from.

As if to answer his question, Sif spoke from her seat. "Though I am unfamiliar with the ways and cycles of magic, she will need much more than just her powers alone to achieve such a thing."

Odin nodded, "She will need several artifacts of power. Represent in the elements and other items that hold vast power reserves. Even then it will be pushing the limits."

"What artifacts will be needed?" Samus asked.

"Hmm, perhaps an elemental heart, the soul of a dragon, blood from one who resides here, and several other items of power." Odin responded. Tobey now swore audibly, knowing full well how to get the hands on one of them. Ulfric nodded slowly as he knew where to find another one of them.

"I know where an Elemental Heart is." Tobey spoke up and others turned to him. "They are rare, and unheard of, one existing in each city at most. Though in my runs, I sensed the powers pulsing beneath the emerald city known as Seattle. If I can find it, it will be one that we can have for us. I know not exactly where it is, but I know where those who believe it are. We can make our way to Seattle and there I and track it down."

Ulfric spoke next, "As can I with the soul of a dragon."

Balder nodded and looked to the rest of the gathered council, "I believe that we should best go after the Elemental Heart first and for most. With the powers of the elements, we can strike back against them."

Frriga objected. "But what about the soul of the Dragon? Surely that would be placed best use against out foes. The gods and goddesses argued amongst each other in over welming voices

Vidnar spoke up after banging his iron shoe three times on the ground, "Why not allow the Smashers to decide. We had best not leave." He used as few words as possible, such was his character. The Smashers argued and debated with each other for a while. After it all, the answer was clear. Tobey knew contacts and he could find them the heart of the elements. Even the Ice Climbers along with Lucas would come along with. Tobey smiled slightly and said that he knew someone who would look after them. They gathered their items of belonging and turned to the rainbow bridge to take them to Seattle. They shared a word with Leman, who told them that he would be there personally when Ike awoke along with Peach. Tobey, Ulfric, Link, Marth, Ganondorf, Samus, Snake, and the children followed Tobey through the bridge to his homeland.

* * *

Zelda screamed again but like all of the other screams, they were muffled by the silver cloth. The pain began again, and the circle around her began to glow. She had so stubbornly refused to give into their demands that hey were using her arcane against her. Loki was smirking with the two giants not far behind him. "I will give you one more chance Zelda." Loki demanded. "You will cast the spells that we tell you to. If not, we will tear your soul in two." Zelda shook her head furiously, she had seen the spells and they were clear for transportation to the high heavens. It was somewhere where she never wanted to go with evil in tow.

Loki sighed and the runes flared to life, and pain unlike any other flared across her body, into every fiber of her being. She prayed for blessed unconsciousness to claim her, but it never did. A dark entity approached her and stuck it's hand into her chest and pulled out a white orb. With a whisk of the wrist, the white orb was flung away from them and Zelda collapsed and Loki came over and untied her."Are you ready to cooperate now?"

"Always was… my love." She opened her eyes, which now were pure, baleful red eyes. "I just needed to get rid of what was good and decent from my soul." She rose and flicked off the chains and laid her lips upon Loki. One of the first parts of the way to open the portal was a strong emotion.

There were few emotions stronger then lust.

* * *

Rain poured down all around her, cold and unrelenting. She opened her eyes and shuttered at the cold. She looked down on her clothing, wraps of cloth covering her body. Who was she…. More importantly, where was she?

* * *

**Well, that was certainly an eventful chapter. Off to the Emerald City of Seattle to find the hearts of the elements. Remember to review.**

**Flame Falcon**


	8. Welcome to Seattle

**Another week, and another chapter. I hope this was worth the wait. As always, Read and review**

* * *

Tobey was met face first with a gust of wind with rain mixed in it. Home, sweet bloody home he thought to himself. He heard gasps of surprise and aghast with the other smashers not far behind him. Concrete beneath his feet, the rain in his face and the sounds of violence in the distance, God he felt at home. "I don't know exactly where the heart of the element is at." Tobey said to the others over his shoulder, many of whom were adjusting to the sudden change in the weather. "But I'll have to shake my contacts to see if any of those chummers know anything about it. Follow me and keep close; it's always safety in numbers."

The smashers got behind Tobey and many of them looked around the city. Some of them had been raised in an urban environment, but they had never seen anything like this. All of the buildings reached out to the skies, yet there were plenty of buildings run down, condemned or just left to the sands of time to take them. Ulfric had never seen such a sight and deep down he wondered if he ever wanted to again. Link felt the same, but somewhat wanted to see more if it was possible. The others had mixed reactions in this place and time.

Tobey was at the head and stopped at the edge of a street corner, trying to reconnect with his bearings. It was quite obvious that he was in the barrens, a portion of Seattle that was devoted to constant warfare in between gangers. These weren't shadowrunners, they were punks with guns. He looked for any of the totems that displayed ganger territory. He looked to his feet and saw that he was standing on one of them. He took one step back and looked down at a jack-o-lantern with two crossed AK-97. He growled and spat, Hollowennies. This gang had always been a thorn in his side as with many others, while for the most part an undisciplined and grossly untrained organization, they still always had that potential of being true monsters. The symbol meant that they were inside their territory, and that forced Tobey to reach for his trusted sidearm and to make sure that there were bullets loaded into it.

"Hey, you chummers!" A deeper voice came up to the right side of the group. Tobey turned his head; he clicked back the hammer on the revolver as he did so and spied a Troll ganger. The brute was tall with a pair of horns growing out of his forehead and a massive machete was held in his hands. "This be our turf, get lost dandelion eater!" The troll charged them and Tobey responded to the insult in kind. As the troll charged, Tobey raised his revolver and lined up a shot. He pulled the trigger and sent the bullet right between the eyes of the eyes. Normally such a round would have dazed the troll, but it was loaded with armor piecing ammunition, so it sent the bloody grey matter of the brain spewing out behind the troll and it came toppling down in a mass of dead flesh right before his feet.

Naturally, the second he fired off that round that instantly alerted the rest of the ganger in the nearby vicinity and they came out. Unlike the troll he blew away, they were armed with fire arms. Granted they were AKs and other crude weapons, but they were still enough to cause concern with Tobey. The Holloweenies began to fire off their ammunition in their direction, and Tobey bellowed orders for the others to get into cover. Holstering his pistol and brining up his own assault rifle Tobey provided suppressing fire as others made their way to one form of cover to another. Snake and Link hugged a burned out air-car both of them readying a form of range, snake with one of his handguns and Link with his bow. Samus took the children with her and got behinds some garbage filled crates. Ulfric, Marth and Ganondorf moved forward and took their backs against a wall. They would be the first to respond if any of the gangers got to close to them.

Tobey fired of the last of his assault rifle rounds and soon expended his empty clip. In a smooth motion, one that surprised Snake to a point, Tobey slammed a fresh magazine home and chambered the first round with a military like discipline. Tobey noticed that the Holloweenies were spraying their ammo, rather than keeping their rounds conserved and aiming. He laughed slyly and looked down his sights. Pressing his trigger down, he fired off a burst of automatic into the densely crowded areas of the gangers. Snake rose with a grenade primed in his hand, and with a flick of his arm, he sent the explosive into the group of Holloweenies. With a clap of thunder, the grenade exploded, sending the flesh of their enemies scattering in many direction. From the bloody smoke came more Orks and trolls. Fortunately Ganondorf Math and Ulfric were on them with a massive attack, bringing down powered fists and axe heads along with blades.

A lucky shotgun blast peppered his coat and Tobey bit back a curse. He looked to the injury and saw several black pellets of spread shot. He slammed his hand against the wound and allowed the glowing energy of healing pass through his veins. The black pellets came out of the wounds and soon the wounds began to knit back together. He saw Link firing off an arrow and the arrow into the eye of another ganger. Ulfric and the other melee combatants were fighting it out no quarter given to either side. He bellowed from his mouth as student in the way of the voice sent many of the gangers sprawling in confusion. Ganondorf was lashing out whit hallo of his dark powers, easily holding his own with two trolls with axes. Marth on the on the other hand, was fencing away an elf with his own sword. Samus was holding off against whatever ganger tried to even come close to harm the children.

A second burst of machine gun fire became audible and swears that were familiar to Tobey. He looked through the smoke and soon saw two runners running from a new wave of Holloweenies. "Watch your fire!" He bellowed to the other smashers. He looked at the newcomers, and was concerned when he saw several dark, wet spots on their chest armor. "Hey, morons!" He yelled to the two runners and gestured for them to get behind cover. One of them was dressed in black carapace armor with sub-machine gun ammo clips around him and a smoking Uzi in his hands. He had short brown hair with piercing brown eyes and with goatee of five o'clock shadow. The one next to him had white skin and deep green dreadlocks with some metal grafted into his skull. His hands radiated with some magical energy and before he dove into cover, he sent a small orb of fire crashing into the new wave. Tobey knew who these two chummers were. El Duce and Gallowglass respectively.

Closing his eyes, Tobey activated his powers of a shaman of the bear. Using the energy of nature that flowed through all of us, he used those powers and acted as a rod for healing powers. The shadowrunners were beginning to be healed and they rejoined the fight and they began to fight with renewed conviction. The battle was winding down and in rather short time, the last of the Holloweenies ran with their wounded comrades. Tobey slammed a fresh clip home and chambered a new round. He turned to El Duce and was enveloped in a bone crushing hug. "Goddamn you, Tobey! It's good to see you again." The shadowrunners that Tobey frequently ran with greeted him in their own way. For El Duce, it was a bone snapping bear hug. Gallowglass did one similar by it was a hand shake modified into a hug.

Tobey remembered these characters. Gallowglass was the most proficient mage Tobey had ever came across. One of the few to escape Corporate death row and live to tell the tale was no small feat. El Duce was a close friend of Tobey and was one of his contacts in Seattle and the two connected when Tobey was hiring bodies for a run he was doing. The three were close friends, forged in blood and tempered in battle. They went to hell and back for their city, thankfully they received their much needed praise. Laughing, Tobey introduced them to the others. El Duce kicked it off with Snake and Samus, while Gallowglass did the same with Link and Ulfric.

The group ran like hell through the Holloweenies' territory, and in between the heavy labored breaths of El Duce, Tobey was filled in with the information about the job they were on. They were originally hired by a Mr. Johnson to take care of a Company man who went rough for fifty thousand. However as they left Coyote, one of the bartenders and shadowrunners, hired them for something else along with it. BTL dealers were staking out there and Coyote hired them to take care of them. Better Then Life chips were a hot contraband and they were going beyond what they could do. Dealers were getting more ruthless and many were dying from being turned into mindless drones of the dealers. Toby spat and fired off his revolver at those Holloweenies that tried to stand in their way. The children were in the hands of the adults so that they were not left behind.

They got out of the territory and the shadow runners exhaled in relief and spied a taxi bench. They collapsed next to it and Gallowglass turned Tobey. "What are you doing back so soon? Thought you be back later."

Tobey sighed and nodded. "I thought I would be too, but something has come up. " He swapped his story with the other Shadowrunners and they grimaced. From the brawls to the Norse Gods, they watched wide eyed. El Duce would have though Tobey was using some powerful chem and wasn't sharing. But he knew Tobey said that he would rather die then use street drugs, knowing what was in them. Gallowglass shuttered when Toby brought up what he was searching for. He was a wizard of the arcane, not one with the elements. Still, the heart of the elements were a mighty and powerful collection of artifacts and if they got into the wrong hands… hell take them, for it will them more mercy then they.

Eventually a bus came along and Tobey paid for the ride using his cred-stick. After transferring the funds, he sat down in one of the smelly seats. Other smashers did the same and the bus lurched off an drove them through the barrens. The bullet proof glass allowed Tobey to look at the city as it passed on by from their view. He saw Lone Star cops arresting a troll, not with much success. A few muggings here and there, followed by the occasional knife fight. Tobey let the movement of the bus take him away.

The Bus made a few turns and Tobey spared the others a look. Ulfric, Ganondorf and Link looked as if their minds were about ready to explode from all what was happening. Samus and Snake weren't much better off, but not as bad as the others. Tobey forced a smile and closed his eyes and rested his head against the window. Eventually sleep took him and only darkness awaited him, no nightmares thankfully.

* * *

Peach followed Leman through the massive libraries of his own personal long house. She was amazed, to say the least, at the character behind this man. He seemed like a strong and dumb brute, but was far more then that. This library was a testament to that. Dozens of sages from years past scurried around, placing books on shelves, transcribing new works and many other tasks. "As you can see, Princess Peach." His voice was a booming roll of the thunder all around her, and she was laughing ever so slightly with it. "Our knowledge covers many tomes. Few of us actually put our knowledge to paper, some keep it in their minds. I prefer to put it to paper so my knowledge is placed so that others may learn if I pass. Knowledge of medicine, architecture and warfare among other knowable things"

Peach nodded and Leman gestured to a table in the middle of the library with several tome of mythic arcane knowledge in the stacks of the books. A pot of herbal elixir sat in the middle and Leman reached for his tankard of mead that sat on his side. Peach opened one of the tomes of knowledge and saw that they were written in vast arrays of languages and symbols she could never understand. Leman taped his finger on the pot of elixir, Peach taking the hint. He poured herself a cup of the swirling green drink. Raising the cup to her mouth she drank the substance, it was slightly bitter to the taste, but she watched as the words before her soon became readable an she could fully comprehend everything.

The two peered over tomes of knowledge and looked for any indications of what these events. Eventually, Peach broke the ice. "That thing you fought, before the whole events happened, who was that?"

Leman sighed and opened another tome. "Jomon, a true bastard of a man, if you could stand your tongue calling him such a thing. He is the son of my father's enemy and that of mine as well, the world serpent Jormungandr." Lemans lips curled back into a snarl. Peach was an inquisitive woman, and she found herself noticing something about him. He hated the Midgard Serpent, but then there was something else about him that made him hate those who took the Mansion. She looked into his eyes and saw those two chips of ice. He looked at her and she adverted her gaze before he suspected anything. She would have to ask him about it later.

They finished peering over the vast array of published knowledge and managed to find several things that could help them. Leman said that he would deliver this personally to Odin so that the others could be dispatched to retrieve the necessary equipment and artifacts needed. She walked to Leman's master bed room , where Ike was recuperating. She opened the doors and looked at the master bed in the center. The Stranger which accompanied them all of the way stood in a silent sentinel over Ike. He looked down on Ike and Peach noticed that his travelers' robes were tossed to the side. She saw a chiseled face, as if it was carved from the hearts of mountains and thick short hair. His battle axe was carved from blackened steel and gold trim.

He looked at the intruding princess and grunted a wordless grunt. She sat next to Ike, who was still yet to awake. He was breathing and she grasped his hand. She hoped Zelda was ok, but she was told the hope was always the first step on the road to disappointment. She shook her head and prayed with all of her soul that Ike would awake before long.

* * *

Tobey's eyes shot open and rose from his seat, they had reached their stop. They finally made it to where Tobey considered his second home. The Seamstress Union was the name of the pub, among other things that were not needed to be mentioned. Tobey stepped off with the others in tow. Tobey walked up and opened the glass door. The bar was almost deserted, unusual, but then again it was the time for most runners to be out on their work. The bar had an almost homely feel to it. Electronic dancers were on display, doing their dances. There were several chairs and tables as well as booths set up. "Grab a seat, I'll check my sources." Tobey walked over to the bar with El Duce and Gallowglass with him. He gestured for the barkeep to give the smashers a drink on his tab.

He walked to he backroom with the other Shadowrunners. There was a tall man dressed with an overcoat and a tooth pick in his mouth. The usual Mr. Johnson, slang for the shadowrunner very good friend. Provides something for the runners in a reliable career option in exchange for a small cut. Gallowglass handed something to the Johnson and the Johnson nodded and gave him the cred-stick. El Duce turned to Tobey and nodded. "Want me to get Ms. Kubota?" Tobey nodded and turned towards the stairs head up. He knew that was where he could find someone he was looking for. The troll bouncer, Mr. Kluwe, was standing his watch. He nodded to Tobey, who bowed his head in respect.

Heading upstairs, he could smell the cheep perfume from the service girls that worked up here. He walked down the hall until he reached one of the doors. He pressed his palm against the bottom of gene-lock. It read his palm and dinged for access. He was greeted by a blast of cold air. He looked around the room, taking note of how the room has changed. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone's clothes on the floor, so his blood pleasure bled back. He walked around the corner and eyed someone special to him.

Cherry Bomb was standing in front of a tall mirror. She was getting dressed in her traditional barkeep get up. A rather small and leaving nothing to the imagination type of a shirt. Skintight leather pants and she was curling her thick cherry red hair. She was an elf, just like he was. Granted she was a few years younger the she was. He placed her thick and colorful head phones over her neck. She gasped and turned around, her dark hazel eyes meeting his green eyes. She leapt up into his arms and kissed him squarely on the lips and pulled away. "I thought you were going to be away for a bit longer than this. You didn't give me enough time to get my welcome home gift prepared. " She laughed sensually and ran her fingers through his hair. Tobey laughed with her and returned the kiss.

"I'm not going to be back for a long time, Cherry." She groaned and placed her head on his shoulder. "But I will be here for a while. Come with me, I'll buy you a drink. " She nodded and followed him out of her small rent room. They had a small house that they lived at, but most of the time, Cherry lived here so it as closer to work. They walked down the stairs and entered the bar. Ms. Kubota was talking with Gallowglass, El Duce and the smashers as if they were old friends. When Tobey came in with Cherry Bomb, Link whistled like a bit of an idiot, causing Cherry to shoot a sour gaze at him. Kubota turned back to him and shook her head.

"Mr. Tobey Duel-Fist, what is it with you, bringing in trouble like this?" It was a light joke and they nodded. She embraced him in a motherly gesture, fitting for her personality. Tobey along with the rest of the smashers told what happened to Kubota and Cherry bomb along with several others Tobey trusted. The reactions went from horror, to doubtful, to belief. When they were finished, Ms. Kubota shook her head again. "Tobey, you are always getting into the thick of things. First its with Sam, then it's the bugs, now it's the heart of the elements."

He laughed slightly and an elven mage, the name always escapes Tobey, spoke up. "True. I have been searching for the heart of the elements and it its being disrupted by certain sounds I have been hearing. Chirping, clicking and other noises among other things." Tobey paled over like a ghost. Gallowglass and El Duce did the same. They knew those sounds better than anyone else. He rose from his seat and the others followed him. Cherry bomb began to chat up a storm wit Samus and the tykes, trying to take the edge off the situation.

Tobey approached a piano and with his left hand played a quick barrage of chopsticks. Reacting to the sound, the piano slid to the side and a tunnel became open before them. This was Ms. Kubota personal black market where the best customers were allowed entrance. There were a few dealers down here, selling augments, guns, and the magician that was with them would sell his arcane and elemental prowess here. Tobey walked to his bunk and retrieved a small knife from a pillow and a picture. He spent a fair amount of time looking at it and Samus managed to get a good look at it. It was a picture of Tobey, a bit younger then what he was today with a strange man, human from the look of it. The human had thick blond hair and a well trimmed goatee and an arm slug around his shoulder in a brotherly gesture.

After looking at the picture for a while, Tobey pressed a button behind his bunk. A door opened out of nowhere. Two guardians stood eternal guard over this area as if they would resist an order from time itself to move. Tobey walked in and they parted for him, allowing acess through the door. A closed cable channel TV was allowed for the other's view. They would watch. Gallowglass and El Duce grimace, they knew that this wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

Tobey clenched his teeth as he looked at the person before him. Thick blond hair a sly smile, she was like her brother in more ways then she knew. "Jessica Watts." Tobey spoke with a lot of acid in his voice. A mere three feet in front of him was Sam's sister and murderer. "I had hoped never to see your face again."

The former occult leader laughed in his face, "As if you could ever go away from me. What do you want meta-human?" Tobey felt an eyebrow twitch, but he sighed it away.

"Where is the heart of the Elements?" He asked. Tobey was never one to dance around the subject; he wanted to get straight to the point. She laughed that laugh again.

"Why should I do that?"

Tobey spun around and back handed her harshly. "Because you owe your life to me. When you came back to your senses, you were about ready to die by the hands of monstrous bugs. I could have left you to die, but I spared you because of this." He showed her the picture of him and Sam. "I knew that Sam would never forgive me if I killed you, even if you caused his death. You will tell me that which you know, you I will take drastic measures."

She spat in his face, causing Tobey to growl. "What are you going to do, read poetry?"Tobey took off his sunglasses and placed them on a near by stand. Her eyes went back into her head. "You can't do that, your boss explicitly-"

"I don't care. You will tell me or I will have you beg for death." Tobey's eyes were pulsing crimson. When he received no answer, he unsheathed a knife and held out his now glowing black fist. The reaction was almost instant. Ethereal chains restricted her movements to the chair and using his body as a center of gravity, the room all around him began to creak and whine in protest. Jessica's skin began to tug towards his direction. She screamed in pain as skin nerves dethatched from her muscles and other parts of her body. "I will not relent, Jessica." Tobey's voice was far lower then what it usually was. He was certain that many of the smashers were afraid of him now, but damn them, this was personal.

Jessica refused and Tobey showed her the knife and the sliced the skin open. The skin was soon loosened and it began to tear itself off the body. Jessica bellowed in pain, "Our..Our Fathers Cathedral!" She bellowed and Tobey lessened his powers and allowed her to speak. "Our Fathers Cathedral in the Western Barrens." She was weeping in pain. Tobey grabbed her chin and she watched as his eyes turned to green from his enraged baleful crimson.

"If you lie to me Jessica, and this costs me," He pulled out a round with Sam Watts inscribed on the jacket. "this round is going through your skull." He turned around and left the murderess behind him.

* * *

"So this is what they are after?" Zelda asked Loki, her tight leather clothes keeping in her body heat from the winter. Before the two were many books from the Smash Library, and around them giants lumbered about and other fallen smashers under the World Serpent's influence gathered weapons, alchemistic potions and other tools.

"Yes, they are after exactly what we are. I will dispatch several of the others to gather the materials we need. I was wondering which one you would best be after." Zelda nodded at his words and looked over the words inscribed before him. She remembered Tobey talking about his home and his powers. If she found him, she would find the heart of the elements. If not… well, she could find someone that would make him hand it over to her.

"Send me after the Heart of the Elements. If you would my love." She purred in an almost feline like voice. Loki laughed and bellowed orders in the tongue for some fallen smashers to accompany her but she requested that she would go alone. The Smashers would best be at the other objectives they needed to have achived. Zelda rolled her eyes into the back of her head and mutter three words and a portal opened up before her. She could smell the rain even as she walked through the portal.

However when she entered the world, she felt a familiar presence in the area.


	9. Foes of Many Kind

**Hey, sorry for the delayed update. Life caught up with me and I needed to postpone this chapter. I hope it was worth the wait.**

* * *

Tobey stood in front of a table, his hands gliding with an unnatural grace over replacement guns he acquired through his contacts. Since he had left the bulk of his weapons in the Mansion, he had to secure replacements, both for himself and for others. Fortunately, Project Ares was still fresh and left behind just as he had when he left. Three weapons that would become extremely useful in the upcoming battle, of that he was certain. The shades had calmed him back down to his calculating mood. Other smashers who were familiar with fire arms, Snake, Samus along with El Duce and Gallowglass helped him clean the weapon. Ulfric, Marth, Link, and Ganondorf sharpened their blades and other weapons.

Cherry Bomb stood next to table as well, helping him by loading magazines for him. She looked over to Tobey uneasily. There was only one time he paced enough firepower, and that was the assault on the Brotherhood of Unity. She also disliked his attitude when he was preparing for a mission, there was no way to change him to his cheery self. Each mission he went into was with a stone cold professional outlook. He had never lost a fellow runner on the job, but she had heard stories from Duce about the time they took down the Emerald City Ripper, the one who killed Sam Watts. When face with an abomination of flesh, Tobey took little care for his own safety and charged the hulk with a blazing weapon in each of his hands. He only made sure that if entered death's embrace, he would not do so alone.

"I need a minimum of fifteen magazines for each of these weapons. That may just et us through this hellish nightmare." Tobey spoke in a deathly cool voice. Cherry Bomb nodded and placed her last magazine down on the table. Those who finished sharpening their weapons came over to help load the last of the clips. Roughly twenty guns were laid down in the table, five of each type. Tobey loaded in the first six rounds on his revolver, a single word or phrase was etched onto the sides of the bullet jacket. It was a ritualized thing for him, taking a moment to load the first magazine of his sidearm. It allowed him to clear his mind and allow him to concentrate on the mission ahead of them.

Gallowglass laid out a blueprint of the map on the table in front of him. "Our Holy Father's Catholic Church; old, tough, and enough space to fit an army in the pews. Constructed prior to the time of goblinzations, about twenty or so years actually if you want to get technical. There is only one known way in and out." He pointed to the front door. "One foot thick and made of hardened maple. Walls are two feet and granite. A group of one hundred clergy are in there at all times. I don't see wha the problem is getting there."

"I do." Tobey said and pointed at the area in the map. "Jackson and fifty-fifth?" Nobody replied and he responded. "Human Purity controlled territory. We'll stick out like bullocks on a bull dog, stealth isn't going to be an option." Cherry Bomb sneered with disgust at the members of Purity. When the goblinizations started sixty years ago, the whites, blacks, Hispanics managed to stop going at each other's throats. They then decided to go at the new comers, and it was a long, bitter and not to mention violent struggle.

Snake laughed bitterly, "Well, then it looks like we have to kick in the front door then." He slammed home a fresh pistol clip as he said that. Samus rolled her eyes to Snake's usual maverick attitude towards things. Tobey forced a smile and the others did the same. Tobey then moved to a foot locker next to a bunk he usually slept in. Pricking his fingers, he added a few droplets of blood onto the lock, and it replied in turn. He opened it up and withdrew three bulky black guns. Those who were familiar with them were unsure as hell what these were. Gallowsglass and El Duce nodded solemnly and each took one from Tobey, who kept one for himself. He reached into a pouch and produced fifteen bullets of each kind, all cast a faint glow of green. He passed them amongst those who would be carrying a firearm. "What the hell are these things?"

"They are a product of audacious research. Putting the power of this," he said gesturing to the massive gun, "into that. I have only thirty rounds, so use those well, for I will give you no more. It will become very apparent when you will use them." They nodded and he told El Duce to get some transportation lined up. He nodded and barked orders for the others to followed, which they did. Tobey's features lightened and turned back to Cherry bomb, who slammed unto his lips. "Cherry, I need to ask a favor of you…" She raised an eyebrow and Tobey continued. "Could you keep an eye on the kids for me? I don't need to be worrying about them while I'm on the job. It could distract me from the mission."

She rolled her eyes and ran her finger across his chest. "Really, Tobey? You come to me and the first thing you ask me is to look after a few tykes for you? What about "Cherry, could we go out to dinner after this?" or "Cherry, how about you give me a practice physical for your class?" She smirked on the last one seductively, causing the wind to rush out of Tobey's lungs. She liked seeing Tobey like that, surprised. She slugged him on the shoulder and kissed him again. "Fine, after all if we want our own, I might want to get some practice in." Tobey laughed with her and nodded. "You owe me dinner after this."

She turned around and swayed her hips in a carnal way, causing Tobey to take in a sharp breath. He was still getting use to Cherry Bomb's attitude, and though it put him to ends on more than one occasion, it was her and he wouldn't change it for the entire world. He laughed for a moment before realizing the situation again. He loaded his shotgun and followed the others out for a ride to the cathedral.

* * *

Zelda breathed in the cold air. So this is where Tobey haled from, she looked around at the urban sprawl all around her. Concrete was all around her, and she couldn't see one tree anywhere. It was a small wonder on why Tobey said he had survived the concrete jungle. When she first heard him first say that, she thought he was boasting, but it turned out that it was no small lie.

She turned and looked down the street. She pulled a small sliver orb and thumbed the activation rune on the orb to life. Several runes flared a bright green and she looked around for a vehicle to ride. A gift from her new love, Loki had given her this to allow her to adapt to the worlds. A piece of long forgotten technology from the gods gave the user knowledge of the world around them. She looked around and spied three gangers standing next to a motor bike. She smirked like a cat ready to descend on her prey.

She walked forward, her leather boots splashing up the puddles all around her. The three gangers, one Ork and the others were human, spied her. The Ork approached her with open hands, ready to grab the elf. It was his last mistake, as Zelda unsheathed a blade with nothing more than a thought. The blade severed both hands and slit the jugular of the Ork. As the other two reached for their guns, Zelda tossed the straight blade like a spear through the heart of one of them before the twin sons of anger and desperation gave him strength. The third one turned away to run but Zelda was upon him in a moment. Her slender arms slithered across his torso and head. She kissed him gently on the cheek for a moment before sharply turning the neck two hundred degrees. "You wouldn't mind if I…?" She asked the carcasses as she picked up the keys and a biker helmet. "No? Then I'll be on my way."

He activated the small silver object again and looked at the bike. Images flared to life in her eyes. It spat out directions for her to use the motor bike but it reminded her that she was in Tobey's world. As such, she would have to play by his rules of magic. From what it looked like magic, like nature, had seasons. Sometimes magic was violent and unpredictable, other times it was completely gone. She frowned and realized that her magic powers were limited to this world, and it was in a period of laxity.

She withdrew her sword from the carcass of the ganger and took one of the loaded sub machine guns from his waist and holstered it to her side. She balanced herself on the bike and activated the motor to life. Sure slinging spells was nice, she heard Tobey's voice in her head, but sometimes a loaded forty-five can do more than a fireball can. She thought it was perhaps a portion of the sweetest irony that Tobey was going to have his own knowledge used against him in a very lethal manner. He laughed to herself and placed the helmet on her head. The heart of the elements needed to be found, and she would do as her love had ordered her to do so.

* * *

The rain had not let up since they set out from the taxies a few clicks from pro-human controlled territory. Every one, smashers and shadowrunners, quietly cursed the rain. Ulfric was at the front with Tobey. Not far behind him was El Duce, Snake, Marth and Ganondorf. Covering the rear was Samus, Link and Gallowsglass. Tobey could tell that this was natural rain and it was not affected by shamanism or the arts of the arcane. Ulfric whispered to none, "It's colder than a High Elf's grin."

They came to the end of the alley and ahead of them was Our Father's Cathedral. It appeared as if it was designed by a militant group rather than men of the cloth. That was to the untrained eye of the onlooker. As a shadowrunner, there was a much more sinister reason for the construction of this holy building. It was the headquarters for the most powerful pro-human organization in the greater Seattle area. Inside were armed, deranged and unstable motherfuckers. He spat away at them without a second thought. He trained his perceptive eyes against the rain and scowled. Two sentries were at the top of the building, patrolling with high powered rifles.

He snapped his fingers and raised his hand above his heads as an order for them to stop moving, lest they give away their positions. Then using that hand, he issued a complex hand signal, with each finger on the hand extended, and bent at the knuckle of fully closed. It described all of the positions of the positions of the sentries and what he wanted Gallowglass and El Duce to do. The two shadowrunners came forward and readied their assault weapons. They didn't bother to place silencers on their weapons; the rain would cover the sounds of their impending death long enough. On a curt nod, the shadowrunners fired a single round, killing the watchers with grim efficiency.

With a speed that belied his size, Tobey rushed forward with the others behind him. He reached the walls of the cathedral. The slick granite would have otherwise been impossible to climb, but he clapped his hands together and pressed them against the stone. A wall of solid ice formed, five inches and with grips for the hands and feet. The crew began to scale the walls with ease, the ice holding to their grip, not slipping that was expected with ice. Ulfric was the one who threatened to pass Tobey, his Nordic heritage growing up in a land of fire and ice boiled in his veins.

After the last of them reached the top of the building, a flat and open roof, prefect for defense and standoffs with the local rent-a-cops, Tobey touched the ice again, turning the last of it to water so it would cover their tracks. He walked over to the carcasses and with the help of the other smashers, he disposed of them. Gallowsglass raised a hand above his head and pointed to the door, signifying a change of the shifts were on the way. Snake and Tobey found positions next to the door along with Gallows. Another one came through the door, assault rifle and coffee in hand. Tobey acted with out hesitation.

Pulling the rosary off the back of the pants of the human, he pulled back the beads and revealed wire, sharp garrote wire. He wrapped it around the neck and with a feral grin, he pulled with all of the strength in opposite directions. The replacement flopped around for a moment before primary veins were severed and he slumped to the ground dead. He uncoiled the wire and likewise tossed the body over the edge. "Snake looked to Gallowsglass, "What the hell is his problem? I hear he had problems but the hell happened in his past?"

El Duce overheard the conversation and spoke in a very low and cold tone. "Snake, if you wish to remain on Tobey's good side, you do not bring up the past in his presence." Snake looked as if he wanted to object, but Samus laid a hand on his shoulder, calming him down. "We might want to establish watch, just incase your friends decide to pay us a visit." He gestured to Link. "I think your heightened senses will be able to detect trouble and if necessary, eliminate it." Link looked as if he was about to object, but he wisely remained silent, knowing that El Duce was right.

Scrounging the ammunition from the sentries, the remaining group descended down the stair well. The sound of their rubber soles on the stone threatened to reveal them to the enemy , but thankfully it didn't happened. The sound of thunderous applause and cheering entered their ears. There were words, but they were inaudible, especially from this distance. As they descended the stairs, they noticed a turn off point to where the choir would be at. They entered and looked at the gathered.

The church was filled, but not to the brim with the members of the group. Their traditional crimson robes with hoods encompassing their heads were worn. It was a sign that there was a metahuman in their presence. Well, one known of at least. Hopefully their cover had not been blown. "My brothers and sisters," The speaker at the head pulpit announced to the approximant one hundred gathered. "It is time that we purify the race of humanity. It is time we spill the blood of the tainted and the despised. We are pure, and we are the true and one race on this planet."

The smashers and runners knew where this was going. Tobey raised a hand to order them to stay put. He unfastened a grenade from his storm coat and El Duce did the same. "Behold no the worst of the metahumans. A deceiver who taunts the pure to give themselves into the filth, I show you an Elf." Dragged by her hair, a young, not to mention beautiful, blond elf was presented before the assembled crowd. He was bound and gagged with crimson cloth. The gathered jeered and cursed the elf and the speaker raised a long curved blade. "Let humanity be purged of this boil." He turned to the elf and raised the knife ready to deliver the killing blow. The young elf's eyes were full of fear and did clenched shut, not want to look at the blade that would take her life.

Before Tobey's finger could tighten around the trigger of his revolver, Ganondorf leapt over the railing and with a grace of agility that truly belied his size, he slammed down unto the cobbled floors and sent stone flying in all directions. He spun around and had a massive hand envelop the face of the leader, who lashed out with his knife but cut only leather and mail armor. "Who are you to threaten Sheik or any Hylian? That is my job damn you!" The skull resisted at first, but soon gave into the titanic pressure. Blood and brain matter splattered all around the leader. With a fist covered in dark magic, he send the body of the leader into whatever abyss awaited to claim his soul.

Tobey pulled the pin on one of his grenades and tossed it high into the air, the exploding fragmentation cut through the ranks and was only followed in intensity by El Duce's. Gallowsglass lashed out with an arcane explosion, sending a small multi-colored ball of pure arcane into the gathered and it rattled the bedrock beneath the church and the death screams of many filled the air. Firearms were being fired off trying to eliminate the smashers, but it was like trying to kill your own shadow because of all the smoke and dust in the air. "Take and hold!" Tobey bellowed over the din of battle. The order was clear, kill them all.

Leaping over the railing and rolling with the fall, he managed to get behind a pillar. Raising his assault weapon, he saw the image of Saint Mary. Raised a catholic back in his early years, he looked to her and wondered if Mary was still watching over him, even as a metahuman. That was one of the main reasons he went to the elements, the churches began to banish the goblinized as people and closed doors on them. The Catholic Church never did, but rather it allowed the churches to do so on an individual basis. All slammed shut in his face.

Regardless, all of the violence around them stopped as he looked to the image of the holy mother, her dark raven hair fluttering in an invisible wind trapped forever in time. He bowed his head to her and whispered a childhood prayer. "Hail Mary, mother of God, hail Mary, full of mercy, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." The words passed from his lips, he rose to ready his body and mind for war.

* * *

Link could hear the sounds of massed gunfire and explosions. Every fiber of his being told him to turn and rush to see if they were alright. But he knew that they were in good hands. It would not be for wise to abandon his post that stopped them from receiving any reports or allowing reinforcements to bolster the fray, Reluctantly, he stayed exactly where he was at.

He trained his eyes against the rain and tried to separate it from everything else. His eye sight was better than a normal human and he was willing to wager that it was better then the elves of this world. He took his bow from his shoulder and notched an arrow to the string. The rain was still falling in greater speed then it had. He wondered if it was like this every day as he shook his numbed fingers from the cold rain. If he spent another day in this place he would have moss growing between his toes. He chuckled dryly at the joke he made.

There was a sound that broke the traditional rain and Link turned his head to it to see what it was. He made out a small black, bullet shaped vehicle making its way down the street. Link strained his eyes and identified a motorbike of one sort or another. The occupant was wearing wet leathers and a black helmet. The rider stopped right outside the cathedral and dismounted. It was apparent that she wanted to get in to the Cathedral. Link growled with himself and pulled back the bowstring, sighting his target. He steadied his breathing and looked down at his target. He timed the release of the arrow with his steadied heart and let the arrow fly.

The arrow gut through the wing and the air with ease and smashed into the left shoulder of newcomer. The biker looked in the direction of him and disappeared, blinking onto the roof top where Link was waiting with sword in hand. The biker, who Link identified as a she, lashed out wither her own blade. Link parried the straight sword, which he thought was familiar, but he couldn't identify it in the pouring rain. He sword quietly and readied his shield to defend himself against her incoming blows. He heard a grunted howl underneath the helm and soon he was looking down the barrel of a loaded .45 caliber pistol. His enhanced reflexes allowed him to bring up his shield before the gun discharged and allowed him to counter with a closed fist.

She was sent sprawling and the helmet came off as she tumbled to the ground. She landed face first into the cement and the helmet was not far from her. Link moved in with his sword draw, ready to defend himself if she was going to ty anything unreasonable and try to attack him again. He got a better look at her and saw that she had exceptionally long braided hair, causing him to kneel down and get a better look at her. His curiosity was rewarded with the bike helmet slammed into the side of his head, causing him to stumble back. He heard tisking as the biker jumped back to her feet. "Link, why are you always such a sucker for even the most simple of plans?"

His blood froze in his veins, and it wasn't because the rain was picking up. He looked back to the person who spoke. It was Zelda, his ears and eyes confirmed it. Yet, instead of her beautiful eyes, they were replaced by some sort of baleful crimson, almost exactly like Tobey's. She continued to speak. "You always seemed to try to be the most merciful and when life needs to be taken, you are among the most hesitant. That is a symbol of the weak and I hate the weak." She raised an open hand an bolts of eldritch lightning flew out of the palm of her hands, electrifying the ground around Link. He growled in pain and took a step forward, massive charge of energy flying though his veins.

He growled as he repeated it again and again with the blasted lightning. The electrical flow was not meant to incinerate his body, rather it was meant to over load the heart and stop him dead where he stand. He could smell burning hair and flesh however and as he got closer, Zelda lashed out with her blade. Link gripped her blade and using his body as a conductor she was soon hit with a blast of her own energy. She was sent flying back and collided with a piece of stone. "Do you realize what you have become?" Link asked over the rain and other sounds of the city. "You have become not better then Lithia." He spat nd raised his sword as she did the same.

She uttered a laugh before she charged at him again, the two blades connecting with a massive clang. "I was blind and foolish." She said as she pushed him back. "In the embrace of darkness, I have become what I feared the most: death."

* * *

Tobey fired off another volley of rifle rounds and sent another human sprawling down to the grounds in death throes. Of the dozens who were there in the beginning, there was little left. Tobey expended a final blast before slamming another clip home. The dead and the dying were being killed to the last with gunshots or sword and axe blades. Tobey moved forward to Ulfric, who was slicing the bonds away from the elf's form. Tobey turned to Ganondorf with an inquisitive look. "Who is that?"

Ganondorf sighed and shook his head. "Sheik, but I have no idea how she is here." Ganondorf quickly and quietly explained it. Sheik was Zelda's counterpart in the brawls and outside of them as well. They have not been able to separate them into two separate beings. Whatever would have cause this was a powerful and extremely dark magic, some that even surpassed him in skill and ability. Toby nodded and once he heard that she was exceptionally well with stealth and assassinations, he felt a small smile tug at the edge of his lips.

He approached Sheik and knelt down to her level. She had short cut blond hair and was still very nervous of Tobey and others. "Th-… thank you." She stumbled over the words, causing Tobey to nod his head. He reached out into the elements and looked around for where he was detecting the Heart of the Elements. He sensed it and he reached the alter of the church. He felt around for some pressure plates that would allow him to push the thing back. Seeing none, he whistled for Marth and Ganondorf to help him. The others came around and slammed their shoulders into the alter, toppling it over and revealed a sliver lock. Tobey nodded, this was the place.

Samus used her beam pistol to cut away to locking mechanism on the plate and after a while, the lock came loose and a cavern tunnel of untamed rock covered the sides of the walls, allowed them a relative straight forward climb down. With Tobey at the head, the descended into the cavern. Inside was one piece of the artifacts they were looking for. Hopefully this would be enough to stop the end coming.

But hope, the words of an old shadowrunner entered his mind, is the first step of the road to disappointment.


	10. Hollow Victories

**Wow, sorry guys for the delay on this chapter. Life has been catching up with me. I hope this was worth it.**

* * *

Tobey cracked a glow stick and tossed it in front of them, his shaded eyes adjusting to the extreme darkness. He looked around at the cave, taking in all of the sights. The stone was carved out by an animalistic care, not even dull pickaxes could achieve this brutal tunneling . His ands drifted to his trusted revolver and motioned for the others to form up behind him. They moved slowly and as quietly as they could. No doubt the gunfire above them would have made the detainees of whoever was beneath here alert of their position. He growled a he heard nothing but their own footsteps beneath them.

Gallowsglass and El Duce took point and the others fell in line behind Tobey. Ulfric was holding up the back of the line helping a still struggling Sheik regain her sense of balance. El Duce then raised his fist in a position that meant stop. Quiet as the grave, Tobey turned his head around the corner and soon laid eyes on a massive bug, it was a bombardier, and it had not been alerted of their presence. Tobey pulled back the hammer on his revolver and turned the corner. The bug reacted and turned around to see Tobey pulling the trigger on his revolver. The bullet sang forth and collided the head of the bug. Tobey pulled the trigger again and his fellow shadowrunners did the same. Their guns spat hot lead out and watched as the carapace armor disintegrate under the small arms fire.

The smashers watch them as they blasted the bug away. With the bug torn to ribbons, They watched in horror as a green like essence took the shape of the bug and fired a ball a screaming acid in their direction. Reactions kicked in and they dove for cover while the acid exploded overhead, engulfing many of them with little droplets of acid. It burned hot, searing through most of their armor. El Duce drew his strange weapon that Tobey gifted him with and looked down the sights and fired twice as an equal glowing substance blasted into the bug spirit. One shot found its mark but the other one went wide and hit only rock. Before their eyes the bug regenerated back into its original shape and form. "What in the hell was that?" Snake bellowed in shock, vocalizing the thoughts of all of the other smashers.

Gallowsglass grimaced and blasted an arcane explosion in the direction of the bug. The arcane explosion shattered the carapace of the bug again but did not kill it. Marth leapt upwards and in one smooth motion, impaled the bug's head with his blade. When the bug spirit came again, Tobey and El Duce emptied their guns to the spirit, sending it back to whatever harsh oblivion awaited it. "Something perhaps more dangerous then the giants out to get out head." Tobey responded in a cool manner that was like his typical attitude. He swapped the canister out on his gun and motioned the others to move forward. The heart of the elements was close and he knew things were not going to be easy. It never was on runs like these.

* * *

Link paired yet another attack from Zelda, his energy draining from his body with each attack, counter, cheap shot, and parry. For each ounce of energy he lost, she seemed to fight the same as when they first began to spar. His shield was long since discarded and he parried each blow he could. A long fissure ran down his chest and blood poured freely from the wounds. He brought up his sword against hers, but neglected to notice the well placed punch that came for him.

He was sent spinning head over heels and landed hard on the stone walls . He barely had a moment to regain his senses before a sharp pain ran the length of his arms. He looked back at Zelda who impaled her blade into his arm. "Tell me this Link." She asked again, speaking for the first time in a while. "Did you truly think you would win against me?" Before he could respond, she spoke again. "Don't worry, I won't kill you." She sliced her sword down and with Link screaming in no other way then history had heard, she severed his sword arm and kicked his still twitching body from the roof of the cathedral. "I'll let gravity and blood loss do that." She smirked and turned around. With Link out of her way, al she needed to do was to find where the heart of the elements.

She heard a bestial growl and saw a massive armored figure before her. Leman was standing not more than three yards from her. He had changed substantially, though he was still the towing man that she recognized . His hair was now grey and closely chopped to his head. His face was now lined with both battle scars and age. Perplexing, she thought. In his hands he carried his massive, rune-encrusted axe and sword at his side. He looked like an old line officer from a Legion long lost to time more then a Viking he appeared as in the mansion.

"Your death will bring him glory." He growled in her direction. She laughed and pointed to the twin axe he carried in battle. A two handed weapon would be useless against her speed and agility. She then watched as Leman gripped the haft of his axe and tore the twin weapons apart that made the double headed axe. Twirling both weapons to remember their weight, he howled into the wind and looked at her dead in the eyes. "For the Allfather!" and with those words passing his lips, he charged against her.

Zelda raised her blade and dodge the blades of the axes. Leman struck out with all of his strength and all of his skill. But his blades carved only air. Zelda danced around him and slammed a blade into his they then gently sliced across the hamstrings of Leman. The god howled in pain, Zelda was playing with him. Like a cat to a mouse before he ate it. His mind raced for a way to win. She moved to fast for the warrior to detect, even with his enhanced vision to detect. But the Lord of the Wolves could smell her, could hear the beat of her tainted heart. He was a hunter, born of hunters, but gifted with the soul of the wolf. He could embrace the elements in ways his father never could.

He closed his eyes and filtered out the rain from his hearing. He heard the excited rush in her breath as she closed in for the kill. He heard the blade cut through the wind towards his neck. He threw one of his axes out left, forcing Zelda to dodge it and he brought his other axe down where his nose told him to. The head of his axe found it's mark and though the leather armor took the brunt of the hit, it soon sent electrifying shockwaves through her body. She grimaced and jumped back to avoid any more incoming blows. "You are not the same drunkard I met a week ago? Where is that Leman, or is this another disguise?" She spat at him and the Wolf Lord growled like an animal.

"You are looking upon him, foul traitor. I am Leman, son of Thor and Luna. In my veins run the blood and spirit of the wolf. I look upon you and see only someone who let their anger takes hold of them." He twirled his own axes and took up a defensive stance. "Anger is a great thing, it focuses the mind to a single and unified purpose. But to let your anger take hold of your body, you are no longer your self and are only a vessel for your anger." Zelda paused for a moment as the words took hold of her, it was the chance Leman needed. He charged forward and slammed his axes into Zelda's side, causing the air to rush out of her lungs. She bounced twice before she regained her footing and Leman towered over her. She burst out with a rage and sliced across his chest plate, cutting deep and having the blade scraping the bone. Zelda howled with laughter and she watched as Leman began to change before her. His beard was beging to grow back again and his hair was becoming a tangled mess once again.

She laughed. "Disgraceful and I know who you are Leman." She stood a good three feet from him and parried his incoming blows. "You caused the death of your race... wasn't it you who gave the order to the gods to slay them to a man?" She taunted him and Leman bellowed with an unholy rage and he bashed he axe into her, causing the head to bury itself in warm flesh.

"You dare bring that up!?" He bellowed with rage and then picked her up by the throat and tore the axe head free from her chest, causing blood to spill freely from the wound. "I should have seen the rot before it spread. Instead I was blind for far too long. I place my own kind to death with the eagerness of those who wished to see it stopped. Too many innocents died in holy firestorm. Yet, here I am again at the doorstep of another race, with the executioner's blade in my own hand." He spoke quietly too himself, as if recollecting with the past. The moment lasted shortly and looked dead straight into Zelda's eyes. "Give my regards to Hel when you meet her." He began to tighten his fingers; wet snaps were being heard in greater noise. Leman smiled as he heard her heart rate increase dramatically while his own heart remained perfectly calm as he strangled the life out of her.

At least, that was until he had company.

* * *

The stranger kept his watch over Ike until the time he would awake. His wounds healed with an unnatural ease. If it had not been the apples of youth that was given to him, the regeneration would have been unnatural to many eyes. Ike was still out and the stranger along with the Princess Peach kept watch over him. Leman said he needed to depart for some reason, of which he wouldn't say. Peach was still feeling uneasy about the fact that Lucas along with the Ice Climbers going to Seattle. But Tobey was so persuasive that she allowed him to do it.

Peach sat in a chair next to Ike's bed and watched him as if she was trying to take her mind off of something. The stranger, who had never revealed his name, stood quiet and unmoving for the hours on end. Peach massaged her temples and thought about Leman. He remained tight lip about his past, and especially more so when she raised a question about his mother. Leman was always cold and distance even before he was introduced as the God of the Wolves, but something happened in his past that really made him remain tight lip.

She looked to the Sentinel; he had remained silent as the grave. She couldn't even hear his breaths under his hood. Peach sighed in frustration and looked to the Sentinel. "When will they return? They have been gone for hours and Tobey assured me it wouldn't last long?" The Sentinel turned his head in a slow motion, almost in an automaton way. He pulled his hood forward even father down and gave her his damning silence. Peach was beginning to reach the limit of her anger and rose from her seat. "Answer me! You know more then you are telling!"

"He won't tell you anything." A voice spoke up from behind them. The two turned their hands and gazed upon Lithia. Her armor was splattered a light crimson from her enemies blood. "He has taken up an oath of silence in the presence of non-gods." The stranger turned around and unsheathed his blade. It was long and intricate, while many had runes carved into it, his carried words of a different language and he stood his ground. The sword was raised at an articulate angle and he stood his ground ready for the defense.

Lithia unsheathed her spear, which became more of a halberd now then an actual spear. The Sentinel took one of his hands off his hilt and gestured for her to come at him. She obliged and charged forward. The stranger sidestepped the incoming blade and, with a move devoted to decades of training, he decapitated a thick locket of her blond hair. It was apparent that it was an insult rather then an actual last minute swing. The locket of hair fell to the ground and the stranger smirked under his hood and readied his blade for another blow. Lithia bellowed under her breath and charged at him again, and the stranger once again danced around the blade.

Peach rose from her seat as if to get into the action herself. The stranger spared her a look that specifically told her not to get involved in this. He could handle this situation on his own. Peach looked as if she wanted to argue, but the words died in her mouth and she remained where she was. The stranger took his blade and leapt forward at Lithia. Lithia feinted the blow and slashed across the chest of the stranger. The crackling halberd ate through the armor and the stranger was caught off balance by the blow and flew to the ground, shattering his shoulder on the impact.

"Clumsy ape!" Lithia spat the taunt and slammed her halberd into the stomach of the stranger, pinning him to the ground. He turned her back and unsheathed a long blade, comparably to the size of a long sword. Peach was blasted back by a blow of eldritch energy and was pinned against the wall. A set of dark magic crept around her, constricting all movements. Lithia strode over Ike's still sleeping body. She looked down at the prone figure, and laughed coldy to her self. "Ironic, is it not? I come here for the heart of a hero and I don't even gat a sweat broken because of this." She raised her sword, ready to move in for the kill. Peach closed her eyes, she didn't want to look.

The sound of metal colliding with metal filled the air and Lithia's breath rushed out of her lungs. Peach opened her eyes and her own breath as well escaped her. Between Lithia's blade and Ike's heart was Ragnell, And with Ike's fingerless gloves holding the sword. Ike swung his spared hand, balled as a fist. The blow buckled Lithia's armor and sent her reeling back. Ike heard a loud grunt and looked to the stranger, who tossed him his own sword.

Ike caught the blade with ease and quickly familiarizing himself with both of the weapons, he crossed both blades and charged at Lithia, show was still trying to catch her senses after the blow. Ike brought Ragnell down over head while he followed up with the strangers sword from the left to the right. Lithia howled in pain and charged back at Ike, her own blades aimed for the kill. Ike parried her blows with deft turns of his blades. "Damn you, die already!" Lithia swore and thrusted forward with her blade.

Ike laughted to himself, "Have you already forgotten Lithia? I can't die as easy as you want." He finished the sentence with a harsh mule kick to her chest, sending her sprawling out the door. Ike was hit hard in the face by the cold and chilly breeze of the mountains. His body slowed down for only a moment before he leapt out into the snow topped mountain. Lithia Howled and with a speed that belied her bulk, charged Ike. Ike spun around and parried both of her strikes.

Lithia swung wide, and Ike took the advantage he saw in her opening. He ducked right, swung around with Ragnell and penetrated her armor. She brought a fist around, though Ike had seen this plan before it came. "Enough of this dance." He tossed Ragnell up into the air and using the silver blade, he used his free hand and grabbed both of her hands. He then took the silver blade and rammed it through her forearms, not severing any veins but enough to lock her arms into place. He then drove the sword into the ground and raised his spare hand to catch Ragnell as it descended. He easily caught it in the palm of his hand. Lithia looked as if she was trying to pull the sword free but a pinning boot kept it where it was.

Ike leaned into her and placed the tip of Ragnell to her throat and chuckled slyly. "Word of the wise Lithia, a tactical mind is better than one consumed by a battle lust."

* * *

Three more times had the group encountered the bugs and for three more times were they dispatched. Tobey was burned in several places and his coat had many holes in it. El Duce received a new scar across the length of his face and even Gallowsglass was toting some new injuries. Tobey clutched his burning side and in his other held a smoking shotgun. Snake was burned in several positions and the corrosive acids ate through the majority of Samus' armor, having taken the brunt of three bombardiers at the same time. Ulfric was sliced in several areas by the claws and Sheik suffered the same, more or less.

Tobey heard something and raised his hands to have the others stop. He closes his eyes and noticed that it was indeed the sound of human footsteps in one form or another. It was an ambush. Three figures approached them, all of them massive creatures. One bore a spiked back, another was a gorilla of a being, pun intended, and the other one was a very tall and ripped human. Snake swore colorfully under his breath. Fallen smashers. Tobey did not need his shamanistic powers to tell they were enthralled by some other being. Each one carried a dark aura around them, some more noticeable then others. Bowser's eyes were deep crimson and his shells were tar black. Donkey Kong had his fur a much deeper hue of darkness and Captain Falcon looked a bit more mentally unstable then usual.

Tobey bit back a sarcastic remark about their luck and chambered the next shell in the shot gun and looked to the smashers. Gallowsglass mentally opened a communication link with Tobey. "_You know this lot_?" With a mental nod, he heard Gallowsglass murmur some insult. "_So I take it you don't want them to be harmed then_?"

Tobey shrugged, or at least the best he could while he was trying to keep some pressure on the injury. As if in response to the silence, Bowser spoke up. "Think you can past us? We seek what our master demands us to. There are only two who seek it, one that will find it, and another to be ground under the heels. So I ask you simply… which ones are you?"

Samus spoke up, her rational voice all but gone. "Bowser listen to yourself! What the hell happened to you? Granted you weren't the most social of people, but you weren't this much of a sociopath. " She said in perhaps the most textbook definition of backhanded comments. Several of the other smashers sighed audibly and Bowser chuckled deeply.

"Very well then. You have sealed your own fates." Captain Falcon sored forward with a balled fist on fire. However, he was met with El Duce throwing a charged blue fist, the two collided and the end result rivaled that of a flash bang grenade. Being one with his body and mind, El Duce was able oto channel his essence into his strikes and release them at the most needed times of impact. The end result was catastrophic. El Duce countered Falcon's kick with one of his own, aimed at a much more sensitive part on the male body. Honor was for duels, and this was not one of those cases.

Marth, Ulfric, Sheik and Gannondorf attacked Bowser while the rest focused on Donkey Kong. It appeared that if under the dark influence made them a bit stronger. Marth found it hard to land a damaging blow on Bowser's shell, something he had no trouble with in the past. Snake found the same to be true with Donkey Kong; his fur was strong as steel and sharp as razors. Clearly here was some arcane affect on their body. Ulfric struck out with all of his strength and skill, yet his weapons only bounced off the armor of Bowser.

Frustrated he Shouted a word of power. A rather poor choice of tactics considering the deeper they went, the more unstable the architecture went. In this it looked as if something louder then a gunshot would cause this whole thing to topple down on them. The shout did just that and the rocks above began to creak and whine in protest to the sound. A few boulders dislocated and tumbled down in-between the smashers. Kong seemed to get and idea and playing some obscene tribal beat, slammed his palms into the ground. More boulders began to fall and many feared that this would soon collapse over them.

Tobey gestured further down into the tunnel, which appeared to be about ready to collapse in on itself. "This way, it's not much farther!" Toeby yelled with all of his voice and The shadowrunners were the first to respond and followed the elf. The smashers responded not shortly after but it looked as if the fallen had heard as well. They turned to follow it but Ulfric stood in between them and shouted again The blow forced them back but it caused the rocks to fall down at a much greater rate. "Ulfric! Get your ass out of there now!"

The Nord casted a side look to Tobey ad the two warriors made eye contact for the briefest of instances. It was all that Tobey needed to know, Ulfric wasn't goin to go anywhere. Tobey the looked to where Ulfric was looking, and he saw Sheik laying unconscious on the ground. Tobey raised his shotgun in a salute and turned to where the Heart of the Elements would be. It would take a lot more then that to kill that stubborn Nord. Of that he was certain. Ulfric would survive; there was nothing wrong with that.

* * *

Leman looked into the blinding spotter lights of what appeared to be the local law enforcement. He tossed Zelda aside, who gasped for long restricted air. Leman growled and he heard the sound of bullets being chambered in his direction. "Lower your weapons and we will only take out your kneecaps." Allfather, when Tobey said the rent-a-cops of Seattle were not better then the deranged criminal, he wasn't kidding. Leman leapt backwards, narrowly escaping a marksman shot clearly aimed at his head.

Zelda stood back on her feet and looked to Leman. "It would appear that we share a common enemy. Why should fight amongst ourselves and just let this group inter-" She didn't finish the sentence because Leman slammed his right shoulder into her chest, sending her off balance. Leman gripped both of her wrists and with a grunt of effort, threw themselves from the building. Zelda screamed with surprise and the two fell from the top of the cathedral as the police forces opened fire.

Both of them landed hard on the ground, wet snaps of bone echoed all around. Leman saw that his forearm bone shattered and had pierced his skin. Zelda swore she felt a few of her ribs brake under the blow and she saw a small pool of blood where she landed. "This world is ours, witch." Leman growled as he rose to his feet.

"No…" Zelda said coughing up some blood and pointed to the sky. "this world is theirs." Leman Looked up and saw a large shadow approaching them. Long, and as far as the horizon went, a shape was made out in the rain. Leman resent his bones and watched as Zelda disappeared in flash of eldritch energy and the World Serpent moved in next to him. Jormungard looked right into Lemans eyes and Leman did the same.

"_Know this, son of Thor and Luna, I am more then capable of devouring you, flesh and all_" The serpent hissed before Leman_. _"_But know this, you may have won the first victory, but it is hollow. I give you your life for now, because you now will tell of my forthcoming. Send fear into their hearts, for I will come son to the halls of Asgard._"

Leman howled like the wolf inside of him. "You have only sealed your own fate , world serpent. I am not your apostle. But now I know who you are, and I will rally those who will fight against you and all others. I will place you to the torch… just as I have done before." Jormungard laughed and oiled into a shroud of mist. Leman gathered his senses and saw Link bleeding out. He rushed over and carried him deeper into the city, away fro the incoming stream of fire.

Ulfric s

* * *

tood, he was beaten and battered but alive none of the less. The fallen smashers stood around him, triumphant but angry, they were sealed off from their prize. Of that Ulfric laughed. "You have failed to achieve that which you were sent to do." Falcon countered his insult with a well placed punch, sending Ulfric tumbling to the ground. She was just about ready to come to and Bowser towered over her, ready to shatter every bone in her body.

"Not so, Ulfric." Bowser said as he grasped a chocking Sheik by the throat. "While the heart of the elements is not in our grasp, we are about to thin the ranks of our enemy. One-" He twisted his wrist and Sheik grunted loudly in pain as one of her bones broke under the pressure. "At-" His grip tightened on her throat and she began to gasp for air. "A time." He then tossed her aside, slamming her into a wall, shattering at least three bones. Falcon then unholstered his side arm and was about ready to kill her.

"No!" Ulfric bellowed and they stopped. "I will take her place." The words came as a surprise and then to the glee of the fallen. "As long as no harm will come to her." Bowser nodded and Donkey Kong picked her up, a bit not gracefully and carried her out o the catacombs. Sheik was kicking and screaming all the while. Ulfric calmly stood before them, and looked into the fallen racer's eyes and slammed his fist on his chest.

Falcon's gun spoke only once and soon Ulfric's world became a realm of darkness.


	11. Hail Mary

"So that is what happened?" Thor asked with his arms crossed looking at the other Valkyries restraining a still struggling Lithia. Ike was still reeling in the world around him. From what peach had told him in the short moments they had, they were far away from the mansion and that it was over for now. He personally disagreed with the last part but didn't feel in the mood to complain. He just shook his head and looked around him. He directed his attention back to Thor and nodded, causing Thor to smile for the briefest of instances

The god of thunder nodded again and watched as the Valkyries dragged Lithia behind them, her screaming and cursing following them all the way. "Of all to fall from us, I suspected my own son would fall before she did." Ike casted a weird look to Thor who continued. "His bloodlust is that of his mother's and I was certain that he would have succumbed to it." Ike was perplexed as to what had happened, and the look on Thor's face told Ike that it was an experience he would rather not relive. The god just shook his head and looked to the horizon.

The sentinel walked towards them, limping with his injury. Ike passed him back his sword who took it with an appreciative nod. Thor walked away and the two human warriors stood at peace for a while, one not saying a word to the other. After a while, Ike heard a voice come from the sentinel. "He doesn't want to remember the past as he should." Ike looked over to him with an inquisitive look, so the sentinel continued. "Leman was a son between him and Celtic shaman affiliated with the Roman Legion. The son was born and matured quickly, adopting his duel heritage with ease. He was a barbarian like his father and a Legionnaire like his mother." The stranger felt a tug pull on his lips before he looked down on the earth, kicking a stump of snow. "Then there was the Glasgow Inncident."

Ike looked to the sentinel to finish his tale, but having broken his vow of silence once, it was unlikely that he was to do so again. Ike turned around and went back to the long house. He saw peach there drinking a cup of tea, and had another pot boiling over the fire. Ike sat in a chair text to her and although he wanted something mush stronger then tea, he decided that it would do for now. Peach needed to fill him in on what happened since he was unconscious.

* * *

Cherry Bomb laughed again with the kids as they finished playing another game of cards. Despite her fears, she was having a very enjoyable time with the little tykes and they were much more mature then she thought of them before hand. She taught them a few card games, namely Seattle poker minus the losing of clothes that come along with it. The kids learned fast and in the matter of a few hours they became skilled dealers.

She looked at the clock again and realized that a few hours had past since Tobey and the others left. Unusual, he promised her that this would be a relatively quick run job. In and out, a milk run. She shook her head and focused her attention back to the children. Tobey rarely lied to her and the job was nothing he couldn't handle. She was about to return to the game when a tall man opened the door to the Union. He was tall, perhaps as tall as that figure Ganondorf Tobey was with. Though in his arms was some one who was with Tobey. "Healer. Now." He spoke quickly and Cherry yelled for one of the watchers to get the surgical area prepped. The other children looked and saw a bleeding Link cradeled in Leman's arms.

After a gasp, Leman handed over Link to two other shadowrunners and passed Cherry a cred-stick. Though the keeper of the tavern usually allowed tabs on surgeries, she would need some funds for a newcomer. The figure threw back his hood, revealing the features of Leman and the little children began asking several questions for Leman who followed them to the operating area. "I will answer your questions later there are mor pressing concerns for us right now." Leman spoke quickly to the children and Cherry returned to comfort the little ones, who began to cry into her shoulder.

Leman frowned and clutched his own bleeding wound and reached the operating table where Link was laid out on. The doc began to look at the damages and after examining the credit balance, began the operation. Link's arm was severed for far too long and as such the nerves were dead. Link would be reciving a new arm, and as Leman was assured a better one.

The doctor looked down on Link and began to begin his ministrations. He activated his medical saws and began to shave away at the dead flesh surrounding the stump of Link's arm. He looked around and after injecting more blood and a sedative into link, continued. The street doc would finish his tasks before long. All that could be done for now was wait for Leman.

* * *

Tobey's pace increased significantly and they were running as fast as they could. "I told you not to do that!" Samus yelled at him as they dodged more incoming boulders. "It was right out of a movie, you should listen to me more often!"

"Shut it, you sound more like Cherry!" Tobey snapped back as he side stepped another bolder. Though he did make a mental note about the subject. When you see the heart of the elements, always be sure there are no pressure plates or other counter measures to stop theft. Samus warned that there was something wrong with that and not to touch it. Tobey took it off saying the damning word of what is the worst that can happen. Apparently that would be having the entire roof come down on their sorry heads.

Still, if living in the Emerald city had taught him anything, it was that one should know the sewer systems like the back of their hand. And the smell of chemicals strong enough to knock out a troll directed his attention to the sewers. Puling a pin free from his last grenade, Tobey did an overhand toss and the explosive landed with a tink and then an explosion that blasted their way into the sewers. Following his lead, the others followed him into the sewers, the last of the rubble falling behind them.

Snake laughed bitterly. "So we trade one death trap for another. Don't tell me there are sewer gators down here." He said following up by grabbing Marth by the wrist to get the young prince spooked. It worked and El Duce casted Snake a sinister look.

"As a matter of fact yes there are. Now shut up or you will attract them to our position." He hissed under his breath. Snake looked as if he wanted to argue, but wisely chose to remain silent. Hefting his assault rifle, Tobey directed the group down the way being sure that they were on the cement walk ways and not in the sewage. Tobey looked to the walls in an attempt to see if there was indeed any ganger symbols that would tell him and the others where exactly they were. They usually would mark their territory with symbols to warn trespassers that they were dead if they wee found.

Seeing none, Tobey next focused his attention to finding a manhole or something that would allow them a way out. The group continued on in a single-filed motion and tried to make as little noise as possible. After going in circles for about a half hour, Tobey told them to take five. Sitting down on the edge of the cement, Tobey opened his coat and pulled out the glowing heart of the elements. To call the thing was an understatement as it was to call it powerful. It pulsed a number of different colors and the swirl effect was something that was borderline mesmerizing.

He had only heard rumors of these artifacts of power. Crafted when magic and man worked together, they imbued the user with great power. Knowing that the magic were to be hidden away from them, they crafted these that posses a fraction o the elemental power with in it. It was made of a clear crystal, and it was only fitting that they would be carved in the shape of a heart. Tobe was partially tempted to tap into the power, but realized that if he did, he would alert all shamans in a fifty mile radius of his location.

Smiling softly, he placed the crystal back into his coat and began to move out again. The others followed in suit not far behind him. After a few more miles of circles, walking down untold corridors, they found a manhole entrance. Tobey nodded to Gallowsglass who climbed up the ladder and held out one of his hands. Using the arcane, he began to loosen the bolts so that the manhole would open for them. Once both were loose, he used one of his hands and pushed it up and peered around. Gesturing with his hand, the others followed up behind them.

Once Tobey breathed the fresh, cold air he looked around for a sign that told him where he was. According signs, they were a mile and a half from the cathedral. Tobey took the heart out and passed it to Ganondorf. "You guys head back to the union, I'll collect the others and see if Ulfric and Sheik made it out of there." The others, namely his shadowrunners wanted to object, but Tobey took off before they could argue.

Snaked looked to El Duce, "Is he always like that? Doesn't he need back up?"

El Duce shook his head, "No, he likes it that way. Sort of the whole… lone hero thing."

* * *

Tobey breathed in and out as he looked around for the way to the Cathedral. Retracing his steps, he passed homeless and other gangers. When he reached the cathederal, he slammed his back against a stone wall and swore to all that he held dear. Cops and a lot of them. The gunshots and explosions must have tipped them off. He shook his head and tried to focus his mind on the tasks ahead. He couldn't handle all of these for hires on his own, so he needed another way.

His gaze fell unto a puddle and channeled the energy in his being into the puddle. Intoning a few words for the elements, he summoned the element of water. This should distract them long enough. He ordered the water element deed into their tanks and continued his dash down the ways and chambered a fresh magazine. The sound of the cops firing their weapons and screams as the element descended upon them was almost music to Tobey's ears and he smiled. He reached a nearby alleyway and saw a large crimson smear of boo in which there must have been a body but what sent shivers down his spine was Link's bloody severed arm.

He then turned his attention to the sound of someone groaning and he saw Sheik groaning in pain. He rushed over to her and began to pour his healing energies into her. She was weeping and Tobey cried as best as e could to calm her down. She refused and bubbled out her story, on how they were trapped and she was about ready o die by the hands of the fallen smashers and if it wasn't for Ulfirc's sacrifice, she would have died. Tobey bit his bottom lip and tried to keep his composition. He had only known the two for a short while, yet a loss was a loss. Sheik wiped tears away from her eyes and Tobey hauled her to her feet. She looked as if she was in good condition to start running.

They were about to when the sounds of police behind them, ordering them to halt. Tobey knew their weapons were trained on them. Tobey sighed and took of his sunglasses and turned to Sheik. He handed her them and his credstick. "Run as fast as you can. Get to the Seamstress Union and give that to Cherry Bomb, she will know what has happened." He kissed her on the head and nodded. Sheik hesitated for a moment, realizing what Tobey was about to do. She then realized that this was what he wanted, and it would insure the mission's success.

He turned around and Sheik ran around the corner and looked around the said corner. Tobey raised his hands above his head and began to place them on the back of his head. The sawed off butts of the shotguns right there. He gripped them and pulled both of them out and aimed. He fired when he timed it with his breath. The two shotguns blasted three of the rent cops, two dead and the other one missing the half of his face. He bled out in moments and Tobey tossing the guns aside, magazines spent. He kicked up his assault rifle back into his hands and kicked a dumpster over to use as cover just in time to have more of the local law enforcement come his way. He sighted on the next target and squeezed the trigger.

Tobey knew that Sheik would follow his commands and all he needed to do was to make sure she did indeed have enough time to get out of here. He felt that this was how a warrior should leave the plane of life. Fighting against a limitless swarm and falling against a superior enemy. He wanted to salute his killers and be buried into the earth. He knew his death would affect Cherry Bomb severly, but she knew the stakes and nothing gained is done so without a sacrifice. Tobey himself had seen so many battles that came at a price. This time he decided to pay it himself.

And if the cost was his life, so be it.

* * *

Pain, which was all Link could remember. Pain, agony and despair. His eyes shot open and saw a bright white light. He wondered if he had died after all this time. Was it the end of the line for him, was he now off to join his ancestors in rest or was he still alive. All the white around him did make him consider that it was indeed his death had came for him at long last. But soon the world around him began to gain colors. Gunmetal grays, dull whites and blues. His head felt as if it was pounding a mile a minute. He used his hand to massage his temple but suddenly he stopped.

His head felt cold metal where his hand touched and her looked at it. A mechanical device was where his hand and arm should be. The breath escaped his lungs and he looked as if he was about to scream. The memories came flooding back in an instant. All of Zelda's threats, curses and attacks were remembered by him instantaneously. He felt a pair of hands calm him down and he looked to see Cherry Bomb calming him down. Link sighed and did so, though with great effort. "Cherry… I don't know about he others." He gasped those words as he fought of the chemicals that still attacked his body.. She rubbed her fingers through his hair and with the help of Leman, hauled him to his feet. There was a mirror not far from where they were. Link looked in it and examined his new arm.

It was a gunmetal gray and a faint titanium white to it. There were no circuits or the like within it as far as he could see. Five fingers, including a thumb, and a size proportional to his still functional one. Cherry tossed him a small coin and instinctively he reached out and caught it. The arm was calibrated and he could still have a sense of touch greater then his other hand did. "Wow." He breathed out those words and examined his new arm.

"Well, that should do it." The doc said cleaning up his station with a rag. "If it gives you anymore trouble chummer, just let me know." Link nodded and then remembered how he got this new arm. He remembered the spars he had with Zelda before, even after she was angry for a good long while. That person he fought back here was not Zelda. She was to consumed with hatred and anger, her wisdom lost to her in that new form. But what if she didn't have the Triforce on her at all. Since Sheik was now her own separate being, it was likely that the Triforce of Wisdom was given to her when she was expelled from Zelda's body.

Link massaged his temples and sat down on the couch nearest to him. When he did , he felt the little children of the Mansion leap up onto him. He felt a laugh escape him as they began to dog pile on him and ask him all sorts of questions like did it hurt, how is it, the usual questions. Link looked when the others from his group came back. He noticed that three were missing and before he could ask the questions, El Duce began explaining what had come to pass for them. While they had the Heart of the Elements with them, they had lost Ulfric, Sheik, and Tobey went off in search of them. Cherry Bomb began to feel uneasy about where the story was heading

"I don't know what happened to him after that Cherry." El Duce said, throwing in a few Hispanic curses along with it. "If he made it out, he would be on his way back here so fact." He then looked over to Link and pointed a finger at the arm and laughed. "So how did you get that new piece of hardware? I don't think we had you do too much of a horrible job."

Link wanted to give El Duce a smack upside the head but he settled for rolling his eyes and telling the story. His voice was calm for the most part and when he was talking about Zelda, it took a lot of the will power he possessed to keep from breaking down. The runners were shocked at the power this woman held while the smashers were much different. Snake was just shell shocked and Marth was the same. Samus let out a small squeak and the children held onto each other. Ganondorf shook his head, and Link was just trapped in disbelief.

"Whatever has a control over the others must have control over her." Snake said in a low tone, his hands folded over each other. Samus shook her head and looked at the heart of the elements in Ganondorf's hands. She had an 'all that was for this' look on her face and sighed. Leman reattached his axes together and bowed his head. He heard more footsteps and saw Sheik, cold, wet, and tears streaming down her face. She opened her hand and showed the sunglasses in them. The room was then filled with a scream from Cherry Bomb.

* * *

When the first bullet struck him, Tobey had expended his last magazine from his assault rifle and he had just drawn his last revolver to stop them. The bullet struck him in the side. Painful, but not lethal. He gritted his teeth and hurled another bolt of magic from his arms at the rent-a-cops. His ammunition was spent and all he had left was magic and his revolver. When the second bullet hit his left lung, he was standing over a beaten cop. The bullet deflated the lung and Tobey still gritted his teeth and healed the wound. When the third bullet hit him, he was spent of energy and lead. The third round took out his heart.

Tobey landed hard on his back and gasped for air. He could feel the life drain from his veins and he looked up into the skies. The rain was passing and he could see the rare sunlight shine down on him. He heard the cops in the back ground call it off and began to dirve away. His primary valve was destroyed, he only had moments left. He heard the cry of the elements in his ear and the raven haired woman from his youth in the sky, ready to take him to the next life.

He reached into his pocket and produced a rosary from his child hood. He griped it with a renewed vigor and closed his eyes. He began what he believed was his final words. _Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee._

_Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.-_Cherry Bomb was curled one the ground in the fetal position screaming loudly. The shadowrunners and other black marketers removed their head wear and bowed their heads in respect. Leman howled to the skies, to alert the heavens of a great warrior ready to call it home. Lucas sniffled and began to weep as his mother had passed. Tobey was more than a brother, he was almost a father figure to him. The other smashers paid their respect to him.

_Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,-_Ike looked to the doors of the Long house and saw Odin and Thor bearing long faces. Ike knew this wasn't good news and when they had shared the News, Peach couldn't control herself and wept on Ike's shoulder and Ike felt the same too. A person he cared and loved had almost killed a good friend and had casted her love to him with the wind. Lithia, now free of the torments came in and told him it was all true and admitted her weakness. Then the Death Howl echoed across the land and the others followed the Death Howl to the ears of the gods and mortals alike.

_Now and at the hour of our death._ Tobey's vision faded from him and he looked to the skies. The only thing he heard was the stillness of the wind and the runoff from the roofs filing puddles. He heard the growl of the bear totem in his head, mourning the loss of the warrior, the caw of the spirit eagle and the howl of the lone wolf. It was time to leave this world. The sound of footsteps came as his vision faded from him.

_Amen. _

* * *

**Well, Tobey is dead. Pleas don't find me.**

**One down, more to go.**


	12. Comebacks

Sigmund looked down from the glacier upon the house where his liege was said to be at. He had asked the divines to guide him forward and take him to the area where it was. The wind battered the young Nord's face and his beard was pressed against his chest plate armor. He was a hunter, born of hunters, but gifted with the souls of dragons. He could embrace power in ways his forefathers never imagined. He looked down at the patrols and watched each and every change in their paths. A smasher that is what the visions told him. Men and women of great power from different times and places came and fought to prove their worth.

He breathed in the cold air as Alyssa came in next to him. His wife was like him and not so in more ways than he could imagine. He preferred to attack his foes face to face, overwhelming them with force and skill, though he knew when stealth was the option to go with. She prefers to use her skill and magic to accomplish what her muscles could not. Next to her was his second in command, Ralof. The two were brothers by all means except through blood. It was he who brought Sigmund into the ranks of the Stormcloaks and to free Skyrim from the oppression of the High Elves. The two had forged a bond found only in combat.

"Mark me well, Ralof, they will sing glorious songs of this day in the halls." Sigmund's voice carried over the wind and his group. Ralof nodded and unsheathed his warhammer, made of sky-forged steel. Alyssa smiled to her husband and took out a staff made from dragon bones. Sigmund rolled his shoulders. They felt light without the hulking bear pelt. The old relic was not prepared for what he was about to do next. "Wolves of Skyrim, attack!"

He dashed forward to the edge and with the other two behind him; they leapt into a free fall. The winds battered against their skin as gravity took them. The hundreds of feet fall would have killed most men, but Sigmund was not an ordinary man. He called upon the knowledge of the Dragons and shouted three words of power. Soon wings of energy sprouted from their backs and the three used them to halt their freefall to a slow descent. The three landed in the deep snow and one of the sentries had head them and wanted to react. Sigmund raised a crossbow bolt and aimed right between the eyes of the sentry. Pulling the activation lever, he sent the bolt through the head, and soon the thing disappeared into a torrent of shadows. Sigmund growled at the illusions. When would the real enemies show themselves so he could spatter their blood over his face and armor?

The three then began to trudge through the snow and looked for other sentries. For each of them they encountered, Sigmund's crossbow talked quietly for each one of them. The mansion was large as it was splendored. Alyssa was surprised to see the High King would take residence in such a place, but then again, Ulfric was probably against his will held here. Sigmund gestured to the door and Alyssa rolled her eyes and approached it with a set of lock picks. She worked fast, her time in the thieves guild evident in how she carried herself with such covert acts.

She finished her deeds and just in time, the thundering steeps of what sounded like a giant came towards them. She opened the door and they got in hopefully before they were noticed. A few moments passed as they left the door shut behind them. Sigmund gestured with his hand and holstered his crossbow and unsheathed his twin iron blades. Stealth was never his strong point, though there were cases in which a knife to the back would accomplish more than an axe to the front. He heard the booming sounds of footsteps all around and he realized that they were three mice in a den of vipers. One false move and they were to be discovered. He snarled quietly to himself and moved forward.

Sigmund peered around one of the corners and gazed at the patrols. These were still mere shadows of whoever they were suppose to be representing, but it was noticeable that these shadows were much more heavily armored and armed. This was not a good sign. It would take a lot of skill and grace to accomplish a stealth mission. His thinking began to put two and two together and he leaned in next to his wife and spoke. "Ralof and I will grab their attention. You have to go and find out where Ulfric is at. Think you can handle it?" The younger Nord responded with a quick peck and she disappeared into the shadows using her magics.

The two warriors continued forward, hugging the walls and trying not to grasp their attention from the patrols. A pair of voices were heard, and they soon leaned in or a better listen. It was two voices, one from a young female and the other from a much larger man. Hugging the shadows, Ralof and Sigmund listened to their words. It was a heated exchange, and it appears they were right at the beginning. "I sent you with reinforcements and yet you still failed! Do you have any idea in that royally thick skull of yours how difficult it was to fail that fool's errand?" The male voice spoke and the sound of a table being wiped clean with glasses and silverware falling to the ground filled their hearing.

The female spoke, in a much more calm and controlled voice. "It was much more difficult then you think. It's not my fault Leman came down from the heavens to strike at me. Focus on the bright side of this case. Granted we lost the Heart of the Elements, but we have Ulfric Stormcloak. He knows where the next piece is at. And," They could hear her smile from where they were at. "it all seems that we hold the cards. They will more than likely come to claim Ulfric, and all we need to do is just wait for them. But you could answer me this question. When Leman attacked me, he mentioned something about putting his own race to the torch. Care to enlighten me of this weakness so we could exploit it for our gain?"

The man laughed and shook his head. "Yes, if there is any weakness Leman has it is his own past. He was a son between Thor and a Celtic shaman affiliated with the Roman Legion. The son was born and matured quickly, adopting his duel heritage with ease. He was a barbarian like his father and a Legionnaire like his mother. From his father and mother, he learned martial pride and honor. He enlisted with the Legion and led them to many great victories. He rose through the ranks quickly and he alone conquered the massive Germanic empire of barbarians with his own Legion. He returned to Britannia to receive a hero's welcome. He was greeted only the hail of arrows from the defenders of the city."

The man continued and Sigmund gestured for Ralof to get into position. "He consulted his father, who told him that he was born not as a human, but as a wolf-spawn. His mother was a werewolf affiliated with your's truly." The female laughed along with him. "Leman succumbed to his rage and he himself became a wolf because of his anger. He descended upon the village and slaughtered all who were in it. His own village, his flesh and blood, was run through with his own blades. He howled with anger and rage for being betrayed and killed his mother, the bitch who gave him life, last."

The female was intrigued by the story and nodded. "So he still feels guilty for killing his entire village with his own hands?" She smirked, "We can most certainly use this to our advantage." Sigmund growled as he saw the pointed ears of the female. Elves, why did it have to be them? He tightened the grip on both of his weapons and nodded to Ralof. With a feral roar, the two charged the elf and man. They were taken off by surprise and Leman slammed his balled fist into the side of the elf. She had not yet adorned armor so the blow sent her sprawling down to the ground. Ralof swung his war hammer in at the man, who dodged it with an uncanny ease. Ralof got him on the return stroke and smashed his war hammer into the jaw of the man. The attacked reeled in a few moments and The Dragonborn was ready to meet them in combat.

* * *

Ike sat down on the edge of a cliff, watching as the rolling mists passed beneath him. In a mere thirty hours, his world had been turned upside down more than once. He had been at death's door and had fought against an empowered Lithia. However, once all was said and done, the others came back, missing two but gaining two new faces. He listened as he heard Link's story on Zelda and made a point to gesture with his new mechanical arm as much as he could. With Ulfric and Tobey dead, Ike walked into some place of solitude and seclusion to gather his thoughts.

Tears still fresh in his eyes stung as he looked for some peace of mind. He pulled out the Stormcloak medallion his was going to give back to Ulfric when he awoke but now that seemed very unlikely. He ran his fingers over the roaring bear and noticed that it was the totem of the bear that Tobey worshiped in the elements. Ike shook his head and felt tempted to throw the small pendent, but realized that it would have been a useless gesture and he would end up regretting it later on. He placed in back into his pocket and heard the sounds of footsteps behind him. He spun around and saw Cherry Bomb.

She was dressed in one of Tobey's old black leather dusters and some cremate plates for armor underneath it. She was very stubborn and adamant that she had a score to settle with whoever it was that killed her lover. Link, Snake and even Samus told her no, but she eventually got her way. Granted she threatened to take out their knee caps with her sidearm if they didn't let her. She may have been bluffing, but women on hatred and hormones will do crazy things. "Cherry, I was not expecting you." Ike said plainly and sat back down, gesturing for her to do the same.

Cherry sat down and sniffled slightly, evident that she had been crying for a while. "Nor I with you." She replied and shook her head. Ike could clearly see that she still believed that it was impossible for obey not to be here. She sighed and looked to the mists as well. Ike looked over to her and she smiled sadly. "I thought he would make it out. He had done near fifty runs like that, all dangerous and borderline suicidal. Each time he came out with some cuts and scrapes, but he was alive. I thought-"She felt tears swarm her eyes and Ike laid her head down on his shoulder for him to cry on.

He was also with her. Tobey didn't seem as if he would die that easy. Nor did Jarl Ulfric. Those two bears could survive the fires of hell and storm the gates singlehandedly. He let her cry for a while before she continued. "When we started being a couple, he made it full well known to me that sometimes a mission may go south and he may comeback dead or maimed. No matter how many times he told me about the situation and scenarios, I didn't take it to heart. I always thought he would overcome the odds no matter what came his way. Obviously, I should have been prepared for it."

Ike nodded and brought her to her feet. "I thought likewise Cherry Bomb, but it just goe s to show that no matter how hard we try, we are all mortals in one way. I know that when Tobey died, his eyes were closed and his heart was open. I know that even if he is indeed dead, he will watch over you." She smiled at his kind words and walked back to the long house. Ike laughed slightly to himself and picked up Ragnell and walked around, trying to clear his head. As he was walking he saw Lithia practicing with her war spear. She was grunting in effort as if the harder she tried, the easier it would be to forget the past few days. "Your form is all wrong." He said to her, causing her too yelp in surprise.

The spear flew from her hands and embedded itself in a tree trunk next to Ike. Lithia's hands flew to her face in shock and shook her head. "I'm sorry, you surprised…" She was about to continue but remembered what had happened, she then hung her head in shame. Ike sheathed Ragnell and pulled the spear out in a smooth move. The then passed the spear back to Lithia, who was hesitant to accept the weapon. She looked at the shaft of the spear and noticed that Ike had the tip if the spear aimed at his heart. He was taking a gamble in seeing if she could be trusted.

Reluctantly, Lithia accepted the weapon and took it away. "You are forgiven." Ike said and Lithia looked up to him and saw that e was serious. "For almost killing me twice, I forgive you on that. " She nodded and Ike unsheathed Ragnell and gestured for Lithia to come at him. She lunged forward and Ike parried the spear away with a passing blow. Lithia spun around and attempted to counter the attack with one of her own and they began yet another spar. It was to let out the frustrations at each other more than anything else.

* * *

Alyssa snuck along the thin ice and let the patrols of shadows and others pass by her. She was a mage and a thief, skilled with both shadows and magic. Though she was equally skilled in both, she was a powerful one in both skills, but preferred the shadows over he magic. They merely aided her in such undertakings. She had the weight of a feather now, making sure that she would not disturb the fragile ice beneath her. She had an elven dagger n one of her hands and she walked with it ready to gut the first enemy he saw.

She heard someone coming up around the corner and as such, she stopped to a halt and huggd the hall with her back. A shadow figure passed her but she knew that he would be around later. She gripped its mouth and ran the knife through the spinal column, severing the primary nerve endings. The shadow figure dissipated and she waited a moment, to be sure no one had witnessed the clandestine killing. Seeing none she moved down the hallway again until she reached a door that bore the smbol of the bear on it.

Thinking that this was the one that was holding Jarl Ulfric, she pulled out her lock picks and began to pick he lock. The lock was much more complex than the other ones she had run into before, but she embraced the challenge and picked it. She had fifteen lock picks on her so she could afford to lose a few, but she had no idea how many more she had to pick. Putting the primary pick in and the lever in, she fished around to find the primary lock and the tumblers along with it. Feeling the tumblers, she turned the lever but the she heard a sickening snap, and soon the lock pick broke on her. She swore under her breath and tried again.

After the fifth attempt, she opened the door and moved in. The room was predominately dark, though through the candles and troches, she Saw Ulfric Stormcloak. She rushed in to him and pulled the blindfold and gag off of him. "Ulfric, can you hear me?" She whispered in a low voice. His eyes open groggily and whispered something back.

"Behind you." Alyssa dove out of the way and barely missed a foot destined for her neck. She looked and saw a massive being, growling. It looked like a reptile, but then it was wearing a shell and had red hair on his head. She swore quietly , and lept forward with her dagger. She buried it in his eye socket, causing the reptile to howl in pain. The creature began o throw it's weight around and began to batter her into the wall. Bones began to break under the intense weight and abuse, but Alyssa had been through worse. She blasted back with her magical skill and grace and soon she was back on her feet.

She set her jaw back into position and looked at the mighty beast. Soon more of the shadows were coming to get her. She smiled and drew a sword from her side. Praying quickly to the Nine Devine, she narrowed her eyes in hatred and charged the foe.

* * *

Ike and Lithia had been attacking each other for about an hour. Both of them were drenched in sweat and for each blow Ike delivered, Lithia did the same. Eventually the two began to talk, Lithia explaining what had happened. Each blow she told him more and more of what came to pass. She let her anger towards Zelda get the better of her, she was always distrustful of magic users. In her angered state, she was beset upon by Loki, who used his own spells to turn her into an unwilling pawn. She finished sparring with Ike after all had gotten off her chest.

The two walked back to the Long house where everyone else had gathered. Odin spoke once they were seated. "Everyone is here, let's begin. No we have the heart of the elements though e have lost two members, one of which knows where to find the souls of dragons. It was recently that our reports have discovered that Ulfric is still alive, though in the grasps of our enemy. If he is tortured for the information, it is only a matter of time before he gives in. I have sent out Leman and Thor as a forward assault to soften up the defenses long enough for you to retrieve Ulfric. You have the night to prepare for the battle."

Odin left them and the smashers rose from their seats. Cherry Bomb followed Link to practice her aim. Samus and Snake disappeared soon afterwards, apparently to their shared room. Marth sharpened his blade and Ganondorf meditated. Peach decided to preoccupy herself with the children. Ike needed to get some rest. As Ike turned to watch the Stranger leave, he thought he saw a strand of golden hair. He shook his head and it wasn't there anymore. He must have been seeing things.

As he entered the bed room he laid his sword don beside his bed and heard someone came up behind him. He felt gentle fingers on his back and he turned to see Lithia. Her eyes were full of unshed tears as her fingers traced the exit wound of her spear. She buried her head in his chest bawling quietly. Ike stroked her head and whispered calming words to her. One thing soon led to another.

* * *

The Stranger was bounded in the forests at the base of the high mountains. He struggled against the binds but they were stronger then granite. He looked up and saw the one now wearing his cloak. "Comfy?" He asked sarcastically, the stranger howled but was soon drowned out by the wind. "I will make this very clear to you. You will remain here and eventually you will be found by the elves wandering around here. Of that I am certain. By that time I will be down at the Mansion with the others. So you might just want to sit back for a while."

The stranger tried to attack the unknown person, but the bounds were to tight. The figure in his cloak only smirked and left him to his own devices.

* * *

Sigmund swung his blades again at the quick elf, and again the elf parried them. For the better part of an hour, the two were locked in combat. Ralof and the other stranger were fighting downstairs. The elf had tried her best to evade the incoming blows and cast her own magics out against him. Sigmund had expected as much, elves were infamous for using spells when others could best them by martial honor and pride.

He had even fought the giants, and they were very much unlike those from his home lands. Truly capable of tactical thinking was one thing, having iron weapons was another. He had slain three of the fire and two of frost before he cornered the elf on the roof. It was a large, flat and open plane. "Give it up, elf." Sigmund said lowly. "You have been beaten and you do yourself no good hiding from the inevitable."

She spun around with her blade and slashed Sigmund across the face. "It's Zelda. And I would be more worried about your High King." She lashed out again but Sigmund parried the blade and shouldered her in the chest. She was caught off balance an in response, Sigmund shouted, sending Zelda toppling to the ground. He lunged forward, brining his swords down on the Princess. He felt both of his swords carve only stone and the princess surged forward, bashing him from his feet. He sprawled down to the ground, a long crimson fissure across his chest.

He rose to his feet in and instant, swords back in hand. He lashed out on Zelda with all of his fury, with all of his skill but the elf was too damned quick. She moved fast and she brought the sword sliding down across his thigh and across his back. He snarled, Zelda was toying with him like a cat to its prey before devouring it. He gripped his swords and parried each and every one of her attacks. Eventually the inevitable happened, she got tired. It was a battle of attrition, to see whom would be the first to get tired. Sigmund was a warrior from birth. Born under the warrior stone, he and he alone held off against the dragons from claiming the end of the world. When Zelda swung clumsy, he gripped her by the throat in the opening she created. She struggled fro a moment and Sigmund was ready to run this Zelda through.

"Stop!" A voice echoed over the battle. Sigmund looked to the voice and saw the other stranger, dressed in black and red was holding Alyssa by the chin and with a dagger to her throat. "Release her or she will die." Sigmund growled and looked as if he was not about to relent. Placing the sword right over her chest, he was about ready to run her through. Loki looked as if he was about ready to do the same.

A crack of thunder happened almost right over head and two new armored figures joined the fray, one with a gladius in each hand chained to his wrists, and the other one with a massive hammers. The moment shattered, like brittle glass.

* * *

**Another week, another chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this. Please remember to review.**


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